When the Rain Stops
by Lithey
Summary: Soujirou's journey finds Misao's adventure.
1. Default Chapter

**disclaimer**; I don't own anything, except Sou-chan… Alright, so I don't own him either, but come back to me in a few days and I'll see what I can do…   
  
  
**warnings**; spoilers? Original characters, but none of them are main…   
  
  
I was led into the Soujirou-Misao ficdom by a story I can no longer find, and I was disappointed that that talented person didn't finish it. So while this is in no way as good as that one, the beginning more or less follows that story, and takes off where it left off.   
  


::: ::: ::: 

  
  
When the Rain Stops   
elusive@phantom.org   
http://www10.brinkster.com/inotherwords/   
Chapter 1   
  
  
_After all the battles are over   
After all the fighting is done   
Will you be the one   
To find yourself alone with your heart?   
(Looking for the answers…)   
When it feels like tomorrow will never come   
When it seems like the night would not end   
Can you pretend you're really not alone?   
You're out here on your own.   
Lonely soldier boy…_ (1)   
  
  
The sun showed itself proudly, leaning on a perfect light blue, orange and purple sky. All the people moved through the soothing wind, letting its melody drown in with their cheerful chatter. The sakura tree blended well with the afternoon, hovering gracefully over the street market.   
  
But Seta Soujirou was not satisfied.   
  
He smiled at every person he passed by, and with every smile he gave, he felt sadder. A feeling of emptiness nagged at him, a feeling he once totally could not even feel.   
  
But certain feelings surfaced and resurfaced in the course of his journey. Fear. Excitement. Loneliness. Longing. Hurt. Anger.   
  
Depression.   
  
After a year of wandering, he found himself in doubt again. He left all the people he met in his journey, telling them, and himself, that his search wasn't over. Though he knew he would be lonely again, he'd leave in search of something… of himself.   
  
But as he continued, he never found anything. It was like it was lost. It being whatever he was looking for. And it was nowhere to be found.   
  
He wondered if it would be the same, had he just stayed with one of the people he befriended. His search would be left unfulfilled, but what if it was better than him searching his entire life, chasing after something that wasn't there at all?   
  
Sometimes, the pain would even cause his smile to falter. It would cause him to wonder… 'How did Himura-san do it? How could he live through it?'   
  
But Soujirou kept walking.   
  
He looked absently at the fruits in the market. His stomach urged him to buy, but his brain as well as his empty pockets begged to differ.   
  
Somewhere at the beginning of "AAAAAHHHHHH!!!! THIEF, THIEF!!!! YAMERO!!! SOMEBODY, HEEEEELLLLPPPP!!!!!!" which a frantic lady had screeched into everyone's unfortunate ears, Soujirou's reverie was interrupted. Yours would have, too.   
  
Soujirou quickly got the petite thief, wrapping his arms around him from the back. He then turned him around, still holding him.   
  
"Excuse me, but I think you ought to give the lady her basket of fruits back. After all, she paid for those," Soujirou said to the hooded person. The thief tried to pull from Soujirou, but Soujirou had him immobilized. He grumbled inaudibly, then handed the outraged lady her purchases.   
  
The lady's eyes morphed into hearts instantly. "Oh, my HERO!! Thank you so much, you kawaii little boy!!" She suddenly attached herself to Soujirou's neck, squeezing him tightly.   
  
Due to the said suffocation, Soujirou's grip on the thief had loosened.   
  
"AAAAAAHHHH!!!! CATCH HIM!!!!!"   
  
Recovering from a slight shock that the woman's scream caused, Soujirou caught up to the thief once again, getting him by the hand. The thief quickly snapped his head around, making his hood fall, and revealing that he was… a she.   
  
She looked as shocked as Soujirou. "Tenken no Soujirou!"   
  
The name he abandoned a year ago had resurfaced. "You know me?" As he looked at her, a wave of familiarity swept across his mind.   
  
"Oh, you are so FasT and StROnG and BrAve and sExY!" the woman gushed as she caught up to him. The woman then proceeded to rub her face against his, as the girl he was holding onto was trying to break free. The situation was not good.   
  
The girl thief now brought out her kunai with her free hand and gave a death glare to the woozy, choking Soujirou. "Revenge is mine, TENKEN!"   
  
"Nani?!" he gasped.   
  
No, not good at all.   
  
Then a man came into the scene, yelling, "Oi, kisama! Let go of my wife!"   
  
Not good? I believe the word is disastrous.   
  
"Gom - *gasp* - en! But she - *inhale* - took some fruits-"   
  
"I'm not his wife, Tenken no baka!" the girl hollered.   
  
"Oh, Ishiida, forgive the boy! After all, he did save my fruits!" the lady said, simultaneously scaring Soujirou by purring into his ear.   
  
"But he didn't have the right to glomp onto you, Minako! Step aside, I'll teach this kid a little lesson," the burly man muttered dangerously.   
  
Minako trotted over to Ishiida, letting Soujirou recover. "Aw, but he's so handsome!"   
  
"Handsome?!" the girl repeated incredously. She threw her kunai at Soujirou, who managed to dodge them. The girl gritted her teeth. "You find TENKEN handsome?!?!?!??? He's a hitokori!"   
  
"Now I know you! You were with Saitou-san and Himura-san! And you were spying with the child!" Soujirou declared triumphantly.   
  
"I'm Misao, bakayarou, of course you oughtta know me!" the girl replied with a sniff. She turned to the angry husband standing in front of her, who was looking predatorily at Soujirou. "And calm down, you big ox, it was your wife who did the glomping!"   
  
"Why I never -!" Minako began.   
  
"He's a killer, not a rapist!" Misao announced.   
  
"Demo - I'm a rurouni now," Soujirou said.   
  
"KILLER, eh?" Ishiida repeated hungrily. "Come on, pretty boy, show me what you've got!"   
  
Minako took her husband's hand. "No, don't hurt him! I mean, I understand if you two want to fight over me, I don't blame you, but if you really have to express your jealous testosterone-charged rage, then beat up on that short, ugly thief."   
  
"SHORT AND UGLY?!" Misao pulled her hand from Soujirou's grasp and then pushed him forward. "Come on, Tenken, show that idiot your heaven blade or something! Then kick the old hag's ass, too!"   
  
He stumbled forward and glanced at Ishiida. He looked intimidating.   
  
But he decided that girls were more frightening.   
  
He turned back and looked at Misao, who was free to go, but was staying put, watching him.   
  
"Well, Tenken? Where's the god speed whatever crap?" Misao barked.   
  
Very scary indeed.   
  
Soujirou laughed a little, then turned back to Ishiida. He crouched and bent his knees, going into stance.   
  
Ishiida did the same thing.   
  
Soujirou bent lower, and then… turned, took Misao and carried her over his shoulder, then ran as fast as he could.   
  
Which, as we all know, is pretty fast.   
  
When he reached a faraway town, he set Misao down and breathed a sigh of relief.   
  
"What… happened…" a dazed Misao mumbled.   
  
"We went to another town, away from Ishiida and *shudder* Minako," Soujirou replied.   
  
"We… we… oh." Misao paused. "We _ran away_?!"   
  
Soujirou grinned (wider) at her. "I ran. You kind of… rode."   
  
"Why you… _Tenken_! You coulda killed those two pathetic morons, and you RAN?!! And what's worse, you pulled me, MAKIMACHI MISAO into your COWARDLY escapade! This is so humiliating! I can never show my face to the Oniwabanshuu ever again!"   
  
"Gomen, Misao-san, but if I left you… well, they didn't seem very forgiving."   
  
"I don't care. You're the Tenken. Hello? Does that ring any bells?"   
  
"Well … I'm not 'Tenken' anymore. I'm Seta Soujirou. I'm a rurouni, and I'm letting go of my old life."   
  
Misao paused. Then she gazed up at him, starry-eyed. "Kakkoi!"   
  
"Ano…"   
  
"I forgot about the whole 'wandering' thing… But STILL. You coulda fought them off!"   
  
"Minako-san might have hugged me again…"   
  
Misao blinked at Soujirou. This boy was the strongest of Juppon Gatana. This boy had been Shishio Makoto's right-hand man. This boy who had given Himura such a hard time… was displaying his fear of a near 40-year-old female. "You're afraid of girls?"   
  
"She isn't just a girl!" he said defensively. "She was so… clingy! …And she kept breathing on me."   
  
Misao laughed. "I see your point, Sou-chan!"   
  
"S-Sou…chan…?" he repeated, slightly taken aback by Misao's new nickname for him.   
  
"So, anyway… where're you headed?"   
  
"Erm… nowhere, really."   
  
"Great, me too, let's go!"   
  
To Misao's sentence, decisions nearly as quick as Soujirou's running pace, he replied, "But you can't - You're going with me?"   
  
"You led me into this mess, now let's wander, rurouni!"   
  
But Soujirou didn't wander. "Ano… do you want me to bring you to Kyoto?"   
  
"Iie. If you remember, you totaled my Aoiya."   
  
Soujirou glanced down, feeling guilty. "Gomen nasai-"   
  
"But it wasn't you per se, Sou-chan!" Misao cut him off. "Regardless, Aoiya's been repaired for quite some time now, and we still haven't finished paying for the repair. So, I'm out to make money as the Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu!"   
  
"Okashira?!" Soujirou repeated, unable to control his eyes from nearly bulging out of his head, due to shock. "Wha-what happened to Shinomori Aoshi?!"   
  
Soujirou had a difficult time trying to imagine Shinomori Aoshi handing over his title to this spunky teen-age girl.   
  
With good reason.   
  
"Eh? He isn't even part of the Oniwa anymore," Misao said, some of her energy and cheerfulness noticeably faltering as she talked about Aoshi. But then she perked up. "Once Aoshi-sama is done meditating, and I make him smile, he'll be proud of me!"   
  
"Yeah, I'm sure he would," Soujirou said, recovering from the okashira shock. "By the way, Misao-san, if you don't mind me asking… what made you steal from Minako-san?"   
  
"I didn't STEAL, Seta, I took it from her while the element of surprise was with me, and while her permission wasn't!" Misao said, nearly blowing Soujirou's smile off. "Anyway, it was because some guy stole money from me, and that was the very few that was the funding of the Oniwabanshuu."   
  
"Someone stole it from you?" he asked with genuine concern.   
  
"well… kind of… He says I destroyed his roof and I had to pay him back," Misao muttered dismissively. "It wasn't my fault his roof wasn't even strong enough to *cough* jump on *cough*."   
  
"Ano… what did you do to his roof?"   
  
"The same thing I can do to your bones if you don't mind your own business!"   
  
Ah.   
  
"Gomen…"   
  
Misao sighed. "I was kind wondering, Sou-chan. If, well… How much money do you have?" She flashed him a grin.   
  
"Etto… actually… none."   
  
Misao froze. Soujirou smiled at her.   
  
Misao felt like crying. Soujirou tried to soothe her, until it was proved unsuccessful by an attempted punch from Misao. "How could you?! We're broke!"   
  
"Gomen nasai, Misao-san, but I'm a rurouni…"   
  
"You say that one more time, and I swear… What are we gonna do?" Misao wailed. "Where are we gonna SLEEP?! We're stranded! We don't even know where the hell we are!"   
  
Soujirou looked up to the sky, and found a majority of red taking over the sunset. "Daijoubu, Misao-san. We'll find a barn to sleep in, then we can bring you back to Kyoto."   
  
"Excuse me?! BARN?!!" Misao repeated. "Uh, barn = hay, animal crap, as well as animal stench. Hay, crap and stench = not good sleeping conditions. Therefore, barn = NOT. GOOD."   
  
"As an okashira, you must be strong. And besides, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger."   
  
Misao gritted her teeth. "Alright, FINE! But only tonight."   
  
"Then, you want me to bring you to Kyoto?"   
  
"Are you insane?! I've gotta earn money first! I have to get double the cash I originally set out for," Misao huffed.   
  
"Ano… I hope you don't intend to steal again," Soujirou said cautiously, attached to an innocent smile.   
  
"Do you have a better idea?" she snapped.   
  
"I'm sure I will get one, and so will you," Soujirou said, by now comfortable with Misao's… lack of calm. "Maybe all we need is to rest."   
  
Misao shrugged, getting up. "In a barn."   
  
Soujirou laughed. "It's alright, I've slept in many barns before. They're not as bad as you think."   
  
Misao complained as they searched for a shed that was willing to accommodate them for the night. They eventually found one, but it still didn't stop Misao from complaining.   
  
"If I don't get this straw out of my hair, Sou-chan, I will never forgive you," she informed him.   
  
The rurouni allowed himself to laugh aloud. "Don't worry, I won't allow you to be seen with me if you have straw sticking out of your hair."   
  
Misao threw a bunch of hay at Soujirou's face. He laughed playfully.   
  
"Do you fall asleep smiling?" Misao asked, with a hint of amusement in her voice.   
  
Soujirou frowned thoughtfully.   
  
Misao burst out laughing. "You know, Sou-chan, you should save your smiles. Then, they'd be more special."   
  
"Like Aoshi-san?"   
  
Misao paused before giving him her own smile. "Hai."   
  
Noticing her hesitation and sudden quietude, he quietly said, "Misao-san… it was my fault…"   
  
"Nani?"   
  
"I was the one who made him agree to join us." He intended to say more, but the words seemed inappropriate as they formed themselves in his head.   
  
Misao turned away. "It's - it's not your fault."   
  
"I'm so sorry. I can see how much he means to you-"   
  
"Demo, Sou-chan, you're a rurouni now, ne?" she said, finally facing him. "You told me you gave up your old life. That's why I forgive you." Soujirou glanced at her, still with sincerely contrite eyes. "'Sides, you're Sou-chan now, not Tenken. And y'know, I think you're kinda cool now!"   
  
Soujirou felt a genuine smile grow on his face. Her compliment to the new life, After-Shishio Rurouni Soujirou had truly made him happy. He blushed slightly. "A-arigatou. I think you're nice too, Misao-san."   
  
She turned to him, one elbow propping up her head. "So… have you found your answers yet?"   
  
Soujirou shook his head. "Once, I even considered giving up because no matter how much traveling I made, I was getting nowhere," he admitted.   
  
"You shouldn't give up! Look at Himura. He didn't give up, and now he's happy!"   
  
"I'm jealous of him, sometimes…"   
  
"Mm? Really?"   
  
Soujirou sighed. "His journey's done. He doesn't have to go through the loneliness anymore."   
  
"Journeys don't end… They never end!" Misao said confidently. "His journey isn't over. And yours will never be. They're there until you die, or maybe even longer. Besides, I'm sure you've learned lots of things and you've had good times, too. Do you really think those times don't make it worthwhile?"   
  
"So says the wise okashira." He grinned at her.   
  
Misao made a face. "Sou-chan, you can be like Aoshi-sama, y'know. Except while he frowns all the time, you smile all the time. Either way, you both try to keep your real feelings in."   
  
"But, these are my real feelings…"   
  
Soujirou's smile dropped as he looked at her in deep thought. "Hmm, then again, it's creepy when you don't smile," she said with a laugh. "I guess there's only one thing to do, then."   
  
"Eh? What's that?"   
  
Misao winked. "I'm gonna make all your smiles genuine!"   
  
"Ano…" he laughed. "Well, I guess you've got a lot of time, since we're going to need to earn so much money."   
  
"You'll help me?"   
  
"Hai."   
  
"Arigatou, Sou-chan!" Misao squealed. "As payment, I can let you live in Kyoto with the Oniwa!"   
  
"In Kyoto?! Shi…shikashi, they'd disapprove-"   
  
"Oh, come on, Sou-chan. You don't have a home. And besides, I'm the Okashira!"   
  
Soujirou blinked. "well, I guess I can stay for a while, but then I'll have to go on with my journey."   
  
"Oh yeah." Misao shrugged. "But when your journey ends, then you can stay with us in the Aoiya, ne?"   
  
Soujirou's face it up with a very wholehearted smile. "Hai…"   
  
"After all, you helped me earn money to repair it!"   
  
Soujirou nodded. "We'll get more than enough money tomorrow, Misao-chan! We just need to rest for today. I suggest we sleep now, so we can get up early tomorrow with enough energy."   
  
"Right! Then we'll have enough cash to repair the Aoiya!" Misao said enthusiastically.   
  
"We'll have enough to repair two Aoiyas."   
  
They laughed. "Arigato…" Misao said again.   
  
Soujirou grinned. "Oyasumi, Misao-san."   
  
"Oyasumi, Sou-chan!"   
  
The night played its nocturnal lullaby, accompanied by the sweet air of a new friendship.   
  
Soujirou's journey just got a new path.   
  
  
_Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road   
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go   
So make the best of this test and don't ask why   
It's not a question but a lesson learned in time   
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right   
I hope you have the time of your life_ (2)   
  


::: ::: ::: 

  
  
**author rambling**; If you don't want me to continue, e-mail me with your plea. Comments and criticism welcome, too.   
  
**notes**;   
(1) "Lonely Soldier Boy", Michael Bradley; Robotech   
(2) "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)", Green Day 


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, kind people who enlightened me, it is indeed "Whose Rainbows Never End" by Deena. And apparently no one has had the chance of really being able to communicate with her. (_sigh_) You are very much admired! Now continue to fight the good fight in the name of all Sou/Misao warriors! Har har. (sweatdrop)   
  
Meanwhile, here's Chapter 2. (grin) There's a little love note for those who reviewed me and e-mailed me at the end, so I trust you'll read this to get to that. Deal? 

  


  
_Tell me, what is it that makes   
The places you go to so special?   
Of course. Since it's you we're talking about,   
You've done your best to live everyday heroically, right?   
How about we finally head off into a new world?   
Together, hand in hand, let's fly away!   
Come on, let's go! Although I can't see into tomorrow,   
I'm really excited.   
So let's go on a little adventure.   
Because I know you like adventures, right?_ (1)   
  
  
Soujirou got up at the crack of dawn. He shook his head vigorously in hopes to get those annoying strands of hay poking out from his head out of his hair.   
  
Once successful, (or so it seemed) he checked the figure beside him. Sure enough, Misao was fast asleep.   
  
"A… a…" she murmured without stirring.   
  
"Misao-san? Are you awake?"   
  
"Aoshi-sama…"   
  
"I guess not…" With the rarely-absent smile on his face, he waited for his friend to wake up. He just stared at her for a while, and realized she was pretty. Even though her hair became a form of orphanage for hay, she was pretty.   
  
When he looked at her, fast asleep, he would see a smooth face, untainted by a wide, angry mouth or closely knitted eyebrows. He could see her big, curious aqua eyes, even though at the moment they were hidden…   
  
He mentally kicked himself. 'What are you doing?!' he chided himself. 'She's Misao, your friend. Your friend who would be kicking your ass if ever she knew what you were thinking about!'   
  
But she looked so peaceful and innocent...   
  
'Soujirou! You're supposed to be thinking of how to raise money, not how-'   
  
"Ohaiyo…"   
  
"Yaaah!"   
  
Misao blinked. "Did you forget that I'm your new travel buddy, Sou-chan?"   
  
"Iie, iie!" Soujirou said quickly. "You just startled me!"   
  
"I startled the former Tenken no Soujirou, eh?"   
  
He grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. For some reason, he didn't feel like telling her the truth behind his surprise. "So, are you ready?"   
  
"Ike!" she said in response, springing up.   
  
"Ano… Misao-san? Maybe you should… fix your hair first."   
  
Misao reached the top of her head. "Eeep! Get it out!"   
  
"Hai, hai!"   
  
After an hour or so, Soujirou and Misao were finally prepared. They walked through a busy, crowded street, hoping to get inspired and to think of a way to get money.   
  
"Sou-chan, how do you usually take breakfast?" Misao slurred, dragging her feet on the way.   
  
"Sometimes I skip it, sometimes I wash dishes for it," he replied, contentedly watching the people pass by. "Sometimes, when I catch thieves, I get rewarded by generous people."   
  
Misao shot him a look as sharp as her kunai. "So you were planning to make money off me?"   
  
"Oh, no. I never plan that people would reward me. I just felt sorry for the lady."   
  
Misao laughed. "Bet you don't anymore."   
  
He grinned with a tinge of guilt. "I dunno. I just hope I don't bump into her again."   
  
"Amen to that!" Misao sighed heavily. "I'm hungry, Sou-chan. Look at those-"   
  
"Misao-san, we already went through the concept of stealing and why it's wrong."   
  
"Demo… they're out in the open-"   
  
"We could always resort to thievery, if only the Oniwabanshuu didn't vehemently disapprove of something so lowly as that. Do they?"   
  
"Who do you think we are, you--?!"  
  
A moment of silence, please.   
  
Misao sighed in defeat. "Alright, alright. Aoshi-sama wouldn't be too happy, ne? But I wonder what he'd do."   
  
Soujirou instantly felt guilty at the mention of Shinomori Aoshi's name. He just pulled the same trick on Misao. He used her pride to sway her from her desperate ideas, just as he used Aoshi's excessive need for being the best to make him join forces with Shishio. Misao is as obsessed with Aoshi -- if not more -- as Aoshi himself was obsessed with being the most powerful.   
  
Aoshi evidently meant so much to Misao. Soujirou silently basked in his guilt and started conceptualizing his redemption.   
  
"Hold it, you two! Official police business!" a voice barked out from behind Soujirou and Misao. The two felt a hand on their shoulders and froze on the spot.   
  
Misao turned to scream at the guy, but when she saw his hairstyle, she abruptly changed her mind.   
  
Soujirou knew why. He recognized that nasal voice…   
  
He turned. "Chou-san."   
  
"Oi! So the smiling brat does remember me!" Chou grinned at them. "Some things never change, eh, Seta Soujirou? You still have that dumb smile on your face."   
  
"You talk about dumb, while you smile like a freak?" Misao retorted loyally. "Sou-chan's smile is much better than yours!"   
  
Soujirou reddened slightly. "Calm down, Misao-san…"   
  
Chou blinked. "Sou-chan?!"   
  
Soujirou reddened heavily.   
  
The broom-haired man apparently enjoyed colorizing Soujirou's cheeks. "So, when did you and the loud braid-girl get together?"   
  
"WHY I OUGGHTA-!"   
  
"We didn't 'get together'," Soujirou said, thankful Misao was too busy glaring at Chou to notice the intensifying cerise heat his cheeks. "We're just friends and we're trying to find a way to make money." At this point, Soujirou had to resort to restraining Misao.   
  
"Look, that's cute and all, but isn't she Battousai's friend? What would he say when you invite him to your wedding-"   
  
"ALRIGHT MISTER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TRYING-"   
  
Soujirou quickly put a hand over Misao's mouth, smiling innocently at the gawking passers-by.   
  
Chou laughed and finally decided to set aside embarrassing Soujirou. For the moment. "Well, since you and your loud friend here so desperately need money, why don't you try earning it?"   
  
"Do you…" Soujirou said, eyeing him hopefully.   
  
"Still not very bright I see," Chou said, whacking Soujirou on the head. "I'm a policeman now, Soujirou," Chou said with an almost tangible air of superiority.   
  
"No wonder everyone hates the government," Misao muttered derisively.   
  
"Did you say just something or do you want the fucking money?! Two simple choices!"   
  
"Etto… she didn't say anything! Right? Right! Go on," Soujirou said, rather quickly.   
  
"Thought so," Chou said with a sniff. He opened both his eyes and turned seriously to Soujirou. "You see, I need you to help me in a case. Sometime tonight, just like every night for the past two weeks, an illegal trading of drugs is being made. It is pulled off very quickly, and any witnesses are killed. I guess I was hoping that you'd catch the guilty party. And come on, you little bastard, there'll be a reward!"   
  
"We'll do it!" Misao said perkily.   
  
"That's great…" Chou muttered, at the same time checking if his ears were still functioning. He wasn't taking anything back: she _was_ loud. "And of course, it goes with your fee." He whispered the amount.   
  
"Aiiiyaaaaa!!!" was Misao's none too coherent reply.   
  
"This is great, Misao-san!"   
  
Chou gave them further details and couldn't help noticing Soujirou's attitude.   
  
Chou had remembered him as the kid who showed no emotions, just a smile that lacked actual reason. Now, Seta Soujirou got embarrassed, shy, excited… and smitten. It was obvious to Chou that Soujirou liked this girl, (he didn't bother actually trying to come up with a possible reason _why_) or maybe he was even infatuated with her. Did the annoying girl know? More importantly, did Soujirou? It was something left unanswered after leaving the odd duo, and as he grinned slightly to himself, he couldn't help thinking, 'So… some things do change…'   
  
Soujirou and Misao walked around the pier which was near the place the exchange would take place. They ate lunch and put it on a tab, knowing they'd have enough money to pay for it by the end of the day.   
  
"Dig in, Sou-chan! You'll need energy!" she said between chewing and swallowing, as Soujirou nervously surveyed the helpings.   
  
"Is all that food necessary…?"   
  
When they were done, they went back outside the pier and sat. They let their legs hang on the edge of the dock. "Say, Sou-chan? Have you ever gone on a boat during your journey?"   
  
"Well, considering the fact that I had to wass dishes just to get food, I couldn't really afford a boat ride…"   
  
"Oh yeah. So what have you been doing?"   
  
"Walking around. I've met a lot of people that way." Soujirou looked up at the sky, which was slowly being invaded by darkness. "I even met this girl who looked a lot like Yumi-san."   
  
"Really?"   
  
"Mm-hmm. She was really pretty. They were nothing alike, though. She was softer and kind of more reserved. And she cooked really well." Soujirou laughed. "All Yumi-san would make were noodles. They're very good though, to her credit."   
  
Misao glanced at him. "You miss her, huh?"   
  
Soujirou nodded. Misao, a stranger to his sad eyes, put her hand on his shoulder and waited for his answer. "Yumi-san was like a sister. Or even a mother. Sometimes she'd be irate and snappish, but other times, she'd be the only one to comfort me and to talk to me. Of course, there was always Kamatari-san. He was very nice to talk to, he would teach me all these different things. He was kind of strange, though… He always adressed himself as a girl, but Anji-san told me…"   
  
"I knew it!" Misao gloated.   
  
"Nani?"   
  
"Erm… nothing. Go on."   
  
"Well… Chou-san also taught me some of the _things_ Kamatari-san did. They both seem to enjoy talking about… those _things_. But I think Kamatari-san talked more about his feelings. I never really understood him. Anji-san and Usui-san didn't get along well, either. Usui-san was slightly anti-social, but he'd talk to me from time to time. Anji-san was friendly too, but a bit too serious.   
  
"… I never realized it, but I was kind of lonely back then."   
  
"Are you lonely now?"   
  
"Sometimes, I guess." He smiled. "But when I'm with you, I'm not."   
  
Misao grinned, blushing slightly. "I was lonely too, at first. But I'm glad you came along. Now it's actually fun." She winked. "Anyway, what happened to you and that girl, hmm? The one who liked like Yumi-san?" She grinned mischievously.   
  
"Kakiko-san? She's married. She has two children."   
  
"…Oh."   
  
Soujirou smiled at the memory. "Her kids were awfully cute. And they'd always ask me to play. And they called me Soujirou-neechan. So you weren't the first to give me a nickname."   
  
"Well, Sou-chan's better anyway!"   
  
"Ssshhhhhh!"   
  
"Eh?"   
  
Soujirou put a hand over Misao's mouth. Misao elbowed him, and needless to say, he let go.   
  
"Itai…"   
  
"Hey, what's mmmmmppprrrrmph?!"   
  
Soujirou put a hand over Misao's mouth again. This time he whispered, "They're here. We better keep it down." He let go of Misao once she stopped squirming.   
  
"I didn't realize it was so late," she whispered.   
  
They quietly crept closer. Soujirou adjusted through night vision. He concentrated quietly then spotted the exchange being made. He ran, quicker than the human eye could perceive and intercepted it. "Gomen," he said, almost teasingly. One of them quickly ran away as the other tried to deck Soujirou. He avoided the hit easily and knocked him out then ran after the other criminal. Once Soujirou caught him, he returned to the other whom Misao had bound with rope.   
  
"Yatta! Now, guys," Misao said triumphantly, "I think you have a story to tell."   
  
"You little-"   
  
Misao took out her kunai.   
  
"-."   
  
"Don't let the smiling boy fool you either." Misao grabbed Soujirou by the collar and opened his gi slightly, revealing the hilt of a katana.   
  
"So… about the story?" Soujirou prodded with his trademark smile.   
  
Misao and Soujirou got their confession and contacted Chou. Chou took them to the jail, trying his best to ignore Misao's joyous screams of victory. Let's just say his best wasn't good enough.   
  
Once the criminals had been locked up, Chou finally took Misao by her shoulders and told her to calm down, to say the least.   
  
"Eh! I am calm!" Misao replied.   
  
"Couldn't think of a better word to describe you…" Chou muttered.   
  
"Weasel girl."   
  
Misao turned at the sound. That calm voice that could mock her expertly could have only come from one person.   
  
"That's Misao to you, Saitou!" she replied.   
  
"And Tenken no Soujirou. So Chou wasn't kidding," Saitou said.   
  
"Nice to see you again, Saitou-san," Soujirou said with a grin. "It's nice now that we aren't fighting each other."   
  
"Yeah, yeah, what a small world…" Chou said from some corner.   
  
"Naruhodo… Chou has found more people to do his work for him," Saitou said with a slight but unmistakable tone of disgust, maybe even amusement.   
  
"Oi, Saitou-san, how's Eiji by the way?" Misao asked.   
  
"He's doing fine. It's been a year after all. Do you want to see him?" Saitou asked.   
  
A little overcome by Saitou's sudden show of kindness, Misao smiled. "No… I just wanted to know if he was fine. Tell him I said 'hi', okay?" Ever-subtly she grinned and walked up beside Chou. "Chou, are you forgetting something?" the little ninja asked brightly.   
  
"Nani? Do I have to fucking thank you?" Chou asked.   
  
Misao gave him a fisheye. "Baka! The reward!"   
  
"There, you little brat! Take it!"   
  
"Ureshii!" Misao cheered as she received the cash.   
  
"Domo arigato, Chou-san!" Soujirou said with successive bowing gestures and a larger smile than normal, as Misao busily counted the money.   
  
Chou rolled his eyes and turned his back to hide a smile. "Whatever, kid. Just don't spend it all on your honeymoon."   
  
Chou went flying after getting into close contact with Misao's fist.   
  
"Just ask me and Tokio if you guys need any help," Saitou said with the same tone of voice Chou had.   
  
Before Misao could do anything stupid, such as actually attempting to _hit_ Saitou, Soujirou dragged her out, thanking Saitou quickly. Misao pouted a little when they arrived at the same pier where they caught the drug traffickers. She pouted more. Until she decided to dance.   
  
"We did it Sou-chan, we did it!" She flung her arms happily into the air…   
  
… and hit Soujirou square on the face.   
  
"S-Sou-chan? Daijoubu?"   
  
She pulled him out of the water.   
  
"I'm fine…" he said, as he squeezed water out of his gi. "You're on a roll. Well, at least Chou didn't get thrown into the water."   
  
"Ehehehe… gomen nasai, Sou-chan."   
  
Soujirou smiled. No big shocker there. But then he was surprised as she handed him some money.   
  
"Are you that sorry?"   
  
"Baka. This is your share. We're splitting the income!"   
  
"Misao-san, it's alright. I don't need money."   
  
Misao raised an eyebrow.   
  
"Okay, that was a slight exaggeration, but-"   
  
"But nothing!" Misao interrupted him. "Besides, it's not like this money's enough. We still have to work tomorrow. And since we both did the work today, we split. It's as simple as that!"   
  
"But we destroyed the Aoiya, I should only-"   
  
"I told you, _you_ didn't. So shut up about that, alright! Take the money and just work with me again tomorrow!"   
  
A smile grew comfortably on his face. "Okay, but… could you keep it for a while?" Soujirou gestured to his wet gi.   
  
  
  
_Life is only what we choose to make it   
Let's just take it, let us be free   
We can find the glory we all dream of   
And without love, we can't win   
As the battle goes on we feel stronger   
How much longer does this go on?   
Each and every day we dream of winning and beginning a new life   
Still, we must fight or face defeat   
We must stand tall and not retreat   
Our strength will find the might   
There's no fight we can't fight together; all together we can win   
Blessed with strong hearts that beat as one, watch us soar   
And with love that conquers all we'll win this battle   
This last battle - we will win!_ (2)   
  
  
  
**author ramblings**; I hate this chapter. I'll get inspired soon, I swear. Here's the promised "love note": I'm sorry to so royally disappoint you, I'll try harder on the next one. This one's for all of you, though, even if it supremely sucks. (sweatdrop) Please give me ego-boosts though. My ego certainly doesn't need it, but my poor excuse of writing skills does. 'Til next time!   
  
**notes**;   
(1) "But But But"; Slayers   
(2) "We Will Win", Michael Bradley; Robotech 


	3. Chapter 3

It has been updated! Check out Deena's story! But don't neglect mine... ;_; 

  
_There are times you drive me, shall we say, bananas?   
And your mind is missing, no offense, a screw   
But whatever mess I land in   
Who was always understandin'? Nobody else but you   
Oh your moodiness is now and then bewilderin'   
And your values may be, so to speak, askew   
But, who deserves a hero's trophy   
As we face each catastrophe? Nobody else but you   
Nobody else but you   
It's just our luck, we're stuck together   
Nobody else but you   
It's crazy enough to believe we'll come through_ (1)   
  
  
  
Another morning greeted Soujirou's eyes. It was almost too theatrical. He could almost envision butterflies outside the barn, and people bustling through, choreographed and about to dramatically break into a song.   
  
But then the perfect morning sounds would be accompanied by Misao's frequent muttering of, "Aoshi-sama."   
  
Soujirou didn't know why it irritated him so much. He theorized that his irritation was caused by Aoshi's display of emotion - or lack thereof. He simply couldn't understand why or how Aoshi could reject Misao so much that it hurt her. Misao was never sad or depressed, either that or she kept it very well from Soujirou. Strange if it'd turn out that way. In any case, the only time she would give a hint of unhappiness was when she'd get a memory related to her beloved Aoshi.   
  
It was difficult to tell why, but Soujirou always found himself hurt, too.   
  
"More rice cakes!"   
  
. . .  
  
Misao's eyes snapped open. "Unnnhhh… Oi, Sou-chan. Why do you always wake up earlier than me?"   
  
He hesitated. "I have no idea."   
  
After their "grooming" session, which became a ritual between the two, they set out for a new job. They tried every street market, restaurant, you name it. Whatever they would find, no one was interested in hiring them. "Maybe we can convince them if we show them how _shiny_ your katana is…" Misao suggested in dejection.   
  
"Misao-san… okashira…"   
  
"I hate it when you do that."   
  
"Gomen, but it's in my nature to appear innocent yet be manipulative."   
  
"…Whatever you say."   
  
They walked further, exhausted even though it wasn't even lunch time. His stamina was almost completely depleted when he began feeling a certain similarity about the streets he was now venturing. He began to think he was hallucinating, but then he saw a sign written lavishly in kanji… "Setsubo-suru"...   
  
"Misao-san!"   
  
She turned, looking at what Soujirou was adamantly staring at. "Eh? Are you hungry?"   
  
"Iie, iie. I know the people who run this!" He looked at her excitedly. "We can probably work here, at least for today!"   
  
"Cool! Well what're you waiting for?!"   
  
Misao practically shoved Soujirou in the door, never one to supress her unnatural vigor. Inside, she saw a very neat restaurant, many waitresses, and even more customers. And behind the counter was a young girl, long brown hair tied into a ponytail. Her face was shocked, eyes frozen, body stiff.   
  
"Taika-san!" Soujirou had said upon entrance.   
  
The girl didn't move, and Soujirou walked closer towards her. "Taika-san? Don't you remember me?"   
  
"Soujirou-kun…" she finally mumbled. After a breath of nervous silence, she tearily embraced Soujirou. "Soujirou-kun, you came back!"   
  
"H-hai…"   
  
She let him go and turned away. "Sumimasen! Ano… Daijoubu, Soujirou-kun?"   
  
Soujirou sent a smile her way. "Taika-san! I'm great. Where are Ryo-san, Juni-san and Shun-chan?"   
  
"They're in the back…" Taika quietly left, leaving him to stare after her, puzzled.   
  
"Matte," he called.   
  
"Oi, Sou-chan. Is she your friend?" Misao said, appearing from behind him.   
  
"Hai. During my journey, it was Ryo-san, Juni-san, Taika-san and Shun-chan who brought me in during the rain," he explained. "They gave me free food, and even let me stay with them."   
  
"So why'd you leave?!"   
  
He looked at her with his paradoxical combination of a smile and a sad pair of eyes. "I had to go on with my journey."   
  
She bit her lower lip, ashamed of her earlier outburst. She smiled gently, a quiet apology and a way to let him know that she was there for him. During the comfortable silence that lay between them, Taika came back with two happy adults and an even happier little boy. Irrepressible and hyper, he jumped clear across the counter and attached himself to Soujirou's neck.   
  
"So-i-ro-niichan! So-i-ro-niichan!"   
  
"Shun-chan!" Soujirou said, laughing despite the fact that a human being, small as he may be, was hanging from his neck. Misao witnessed a reunion of sorts, and found it adorable - to be able to see her Sou-chan almost as if he was being reunited with his family. Soujirou then introduced them all to Misao.   
  
"So-i-ro-niichan! Is Misao-nesan your sister?" Shun asked.   
  
"Iie, she's my friend."   
  
"Well then Misao-nesan is my friend too!"   
  
"It's a very nice pleasure to meet you, Shun-chan, Taika-chan, Ryo-san, Juni-san." Misao smiled. "And I'd really hate to be blunt, shikashi… Sou-chan and I need help."   
  
"Help?" Juni, the mother, repeated in concern. "Are you two alright? What can we do?"   
  
Soujirou successfully pried the child off, and gently placed Shun on his shoulders. Shun giddily grabbed onto Soujirou's hair. "Actually, Misao and I want to help. We'd like to work for you."   
  
"Work for us? Surely, surely!" Juni said, clapping in a premature celebration.   
  
"Actually," Ryo cut in, "not that we won't appreciate it, but we don't need that much help. We can't really afford it, you see. How about we give you a job for today?"   
  
"'Tousan!" Taika quietly chided.   
  
"Hai, Ryo-san!" Misao said quickly. "We'd greatly appreciate it!"   
  
"Yes, in fact, we were hoping for that kind of arrangement, since we couldn't stay for very long, anyway," Soujirou assured them.   
  
Taika glanced away.   
  
"That's wonderful!" Juni gushed. "Taika, dear, please show Misao to our dressing room and give her a few tips, I'm sure she'd make a delightful waitress!"   
  
Taika bowed her head demurely. "Hai, okaasan."   
  
She lead the way for Misao and the two girls disappeared beyond the curtain behind the counter.   
  
"As for you, Soujirou-kun…" Ryo said, putting a stock hand over Soujirou's slender shoulders, "you can be beside Taika in the cashier, alright?"   
  
Soujirou nodded obediently. "Hai!" He paid attention to the instructions given to him by Ryo and Juni. When he was more or less trained and just as tentatively ready, he took his position behind the counter. He whistled cheerfully as an older man approached the counter. "Konnichiwa! What may I do for you, sir?"   
  
"Oh, hmm… I'll have two bowls of ramen."   
  
"Hai! Please take your seat and we'll have one of our waitresses bring it to you in five minutes."   
  
"Hmmm… on second thought, make that TWO bowls."   
  
"Ano… You did say two bowls."   
  
"Honto ni?! Please ignore that, please do!" the man said, laughing. Soujirou laughed along with him, rubbing the back of his neck. "I actually meant two bowls."   
  
"…Y-yes. Alright. Two."   
  
The man turned but promptly returned. "And, no beef jerky with it please!"   
  
"Yes sir!"   
  
"Ii. And… Oh, can you add one more bowl?"   
  
"Yes, sir, so that's three bowls-"   
  
"Yes, two. Thank you!" With that, the man left.   
  
Giving Soujirou no time to react, Misao let out a happy "Sou-chan!" She grinned as he turned around to see her in a loose dress that stopped where her usual outfit did. "I dunno about this whole waitress-outfit concept, but this job's gonna be easy!"   
  
"Well, just don't take it TOO lightly," Soujirou said, recalling the man who just ordered from him.   
  
"Ryoukai!" Misao said, skipping off with a wink, holding a tray that carried a plate of salmon. "Here ya go, miss!"   
  
"Thank you," the woman said, handing Misao the payment.   
  
"Your kimono… kirei ne!"   
  
"Why, thank you… And, oh, here's your tip."   
  
Misao grinned. "Arigatou gozaimasu!" She trotted off to another table and set down a tray holding two bowls of ramen. "Here you go, sir!"   
  
"Thank you miss. Demo, I ordered four bowls!"   
  
"Four?"   
  
"Yes, one bowl! You gave me one extra!"   
  
"I thought you said you ordered four."   
  
"No, I didn't order ONE, I ordered TWO!"   
  
"… There are two."   
  
Then man stared contemplatively at his food for a while. After giving Misao a leg cramp for standing so long, he glanced up. "Thank you," he said, as he paid for his food.   
  
She smiled forcedly at him and nervously took the money. "Any time!" she said, wasting no time to back away from him. Misao went back to the counter in order to bring more orders. She spied Taika and Soujirou, both reserved and undoubtedly nervous. Taika was as docile and reticent as always, and Soujirou had produced the most placid smile he was capable of. Misao quietly crept to the side of the counter, discreetly pretending to wipe it and inching closer until she could hear the two.   
  
"But, Soujirou-kun, you've been traveling for a year or so now. Don't you deserve a rest?" Taika was saying softly.   
  
"My journey… is my life," he replied sadly.   
  
Taika sighed, her brown eyes flickering in melancholy. "But, you need a break from it too. You can't spend your whole life trying to find all these answers, because… you'll miss out on so many things," she said with a hint of desperation.   
  
"I guess it's just a risk I'm willing to take."   
  
"Wow… If Sou-chan wants something, he really won't stop until he gets it…" Misao thought aloud. 'Kind of like someone I know…' she added mentally.   
  
"It's very, very important to me, Taika-chan," Soujirou continued. "I don't really understand it all yet… but I know, I will someday."   
  
"In that someday, will you come back to me?" Taika whispered.   
  
"O-of course, Taika-chan."   
  
Taika looked up into Soujirou's eyes. "And would you, at long last, stay with me?"   
  
"I… I don't know."   
  
Misao slapped her forehead. "Geez, Sou-chan can flirt just as well as Kaoru-san can cook!"   
  
"Someone offered to let me stay in a certain place," Soujirou explained faintly. "I just hope she won't forget…"   
  
Misao straightened in realization. "Of course I won't forget…" she whispered to herself. She smiled and rolled her eyes then finally took the tray intended for her to deliver. She made her way to table four until a disturbing sound caused the room to reverberate…   
  
"OH! It's the CUTE little BOY!" Misao attempted to bring her shock-induced levitating braid down as she turned to the source of the dreaded sound…   
  
"Minako-san…" Soujirou stammered, clearly frozen on the spot.   
  
"You know this lady, Soujirou-kun?" Taika asked, confused.   
  
"Soujirou-kun? Is that your name?" Minako bounced all the way to the counter and managed to pull Soujirou away. She forced him down a chair and sat across him, batting her eyes ever so sweetly. "Oh, Soujirou-kun, we meet again! I believe it's fate!" she proclaimed.   
  
This looks like a job for **Tenken no Soujirou**.   
  
"Well, m-m-may I t-take your o-or-o-order?"   
  
(Who, unfortunately, is just as afraid of agressive women.)   
  
"Siddown, Soujirou!" Minako said breathily, grabbing his shoulders and sending his butt straight down the chair again. "Oh, Soujirou-kun, you don't have to be afraid! We're all alone now! Ishiida isn't here…" she put her face two centimeters away from his and seductively whispered. "It's you and me, and it only takes two to tango…"   
  
"Ano…"   
  
She pressed onto him. "We can dance the night away, if you let me lead…"   
  
Soujirou's eyes frantically shot around, his smile quickly getting harder to generate. He caught a sight of Misao with an extremely annoyed expression. "Misao-san! Tasukete kudasai!" he cried wildly.   
  
She shrugged. "Minako! Oi! Let go of Sou-chan! He's… he's… my koibito!"   
  
"KOiBiTo?!" Minako, Taika, and Soujirou all repeated.   
  
"H-hai!" Misao stated. Hesitating at first, she approached Minako and Soujirou, tray still at hand. "Let go of him!"   
  
"Yeah right! How can he fall for an annoying, air-headed, flat-chested, ugly-haired, short, stupid little runt like you?!" Minako retorted. "Whereas I-"   
  
"Ugly-haired, am I?!" With a flip of the wrist, Misao sent noodles onto Minako's hair.   
  
The woman shrieked. "You… jealous little ferret!"   
  
"Ferret?! Who are you, Sanosuke's evil twin? And at least I'm not a hideous, pompous, over-bearing, cheap, dirty, gaudy, hideous old hag with monstrous hair and a snout for a nose like you!" Misao retaliated, drawing outsiders to notice what was going on inside. "And if ever anyone would be jealous, it'd be you, since I'd think anyone can see right through your fake chest!"   
  
Minako gasped. "Fake-! He's mine, you hear?!"   
  
"You wish, grandma!"   
  
"Defeaning brat!"   
  
"Obnoxious freak!"   
  
"Monstrous rodent!"   
  
"Bloated whore!"   
  
"Sniveling tomboy!"   
  
"Corpulent bulk-horde!"   
  
"Irritating little parasite!"   
  
"You're one to talk! Pedophile!"   
  
Aside from trying to keep his hearing intact, Soujirou didn't do a lot sitting between the two incensed girls, and was pretty much immobilized. Well, he certainly wasn't keeping score, but he hoped Misao was winning.   
  
"…right, Sou-chan?" the younger girl asked rather viciously.   
  
"Nani?" he asked nervously.   
  
"No! He ran away because he was nervous at the sight of such a beautiful woman such as myself!" Minako declared.   
  
"Alright, I'm getting REALLY sick of this!" Misao said, aggravated beyond rational thought. Not a very rare occurrence. With an incredible burst of strength, she managed to latch Minako off Soujirou, who immediately leapt towards the counter and hid behind Taika the moment his freedom was again granted to him. Misao then proceeded to kick Minako outside of the restaurant - literally. The audience Misao conjured up outside the restaurant witnessed a Minako-shaped figure fade into the horizon.   
  
After a few seconds of stunned silence, the people both inside and outside the restaurant clapped and cheered as Misao flashed several V signs. "Boy, I got hungry from all that female action…" Soujirou had heard one person say.   
  
"Yeah, let's go in and eat!"   
  
Soon, people were in a crowded line, ordering food. The crowd lured in an even larger one, until it was eventually time to close.   
  
"So, you two aren't really…" Juni began.   
  
"Eh, iie, iie!" Misao said, laughing. "We're just friends!"   
  
They all laughed, despite the day's exhaustion. "Well, I can't thank you enough," Ryo said. "Thanks to you two, a large crowd had been in the restaurant today, even though it was earned through a very peculiar scenario. In any case, word will get out that this restaurant was jam-packed, and then more people will come by!"   
  
"It was our pleasure!" Soujirou said. "Although I don't honestly want to go through that again…"   
  
"Don't worry, we understand," Juni assured him with a giggle. "However, thanks to the crowd we got, we can now offer you both jobs here!"   
  
"Hai! Stay!" Shun piped up from on top of Misao's shoulders.   
  
"Well, that really is a kind offer, and I'd love to, Shun-chan, but…" Misao smiled at them. "I have a responsibility and I must go back to Kyoto, where my family is."   
  
"And I have to go back with her," Soujirou said. "And I have to continue with my journey," he added softly.   
  
Ryo nodded. "I understand. So, please… take his with you."   
  
He handed Soujirou a bundle of money. A large bundle.   
  
"I-I can't accept this, Ryo-san-" began an astonished Soujirou.   
  
"But you must! We earned five times today as much as we do in two days!" Ryo said. He pressed it more firmly onto Soujirou's palm. "It's the least we can do."   
  
Soujirou's gratefulness reflected in his overwhelmed expression. "Arigato!"   
  
"Well, we have to get going," Misao said, a little less cheerful than they were used to. She hoisted Shun off her shoulders and handed him to Juni. "You be a good kid, Shun-chan, and try not to get Taika-chan into too much trouble!"   
  
"Hai, Misao-nechan!" Shun chortled away.   
  
"Sayonara, Misao-chan," said Taika, who had been silent until then. She looked up and gave a slight smile that reminded Misao of Sanjou Tsubame.   
  
"We'll visit, if you don't mind, that is," Misao said.   
  
Taika bowed her head again. "Of course not." She shyly smiled then hugged Misao, and Misao hugged back.   
  
"We'll see you soon, ne? So-i-ro-niichan? Misao-neechan?" Shun said with big puppy-dog eyes that would have melted anyone's heart.   
  
"Of course!" Soujirou and Misao said simultaneously.   
  
A short awkward silence followed, until Juni patted both of them on their heads. "Good luck to both of you. With whatever you need luck with," she added as an afterthought.   
  
Misao nodded and flashed one more V sign for the day. "Ja ne!"   
  
"Arigato, minna-san!" Soujirou added, as he and Misao began to turn.   
  
"Sou-kun!!!" Taika blurted out.   
  
Soujirou turned to smile at her. "Taika-san?"   
  
"I…I'll miss you," she mumbled, fumbling with the awkward words. She blushed.   
  
"I'll miss you too, Taika-san. Minna-san," Soujirou said. He and Misao turned to leave again. When they were beyond the entrance of the restaurant, he gave a final wave of his hand. "'Til we meet again!"   
  
Ryo, Juni, Taika and Shun watched as the two figures faded and blended into the shadows of the moonlight.   
  
"Good luck…" Juni whispered once more after them, letting the wind carry her wish.   
  
  
  
_She finds him strong and brave, and how she wants him so, so much   
So much she knows she needs that touch to lead the way to love   
He spies a gentle soul waiting for her to find someone so,   
So very sweet and kind to lead the way, the way to love   
And now they have their space, they've run their final race   
Love's given them a place where love can live   
Heaven is where they are, now they are finally home   
With love, they have no need to roam, just look at them_ (2)   
  
  
  
  
**notes**;   
(1) "Nobody Else But You"; Goofy Movie   
(2) "Way To Love", Michael Bradley; Robotech 


	4. Chapter 4

_Heart, don't fail me now   
Courage don't desert me, don't turn back now that we're here   
People always say life is full of choices   
No one ever mentioned fear   
Or how the world can seem so long   
Or how the world can seem so fast   
Courage see me through, heart I'm trusting you   
On this journey to the past_ (1)   
  
  
  
As time trodded along, the pair of vagabonds were ready to return to the Aoiya. They got more jobs, caught more criminals, found more money… the result was excessive dough for the both of them. "Push you? That was divinity working there! That was your karmic retribution! ...I just helped a little..."   
  
"Karma? For what?" Soujirou asked, wiping the fresh mud on his hakama.   
  
"For telling that geek that I found him cute!" Misao huffed. "Don't play innocent, you jerk! Now that freakazoid probably thinks that bug-eyed, scrawny, lanky, stringy-haired nerds are my type!"   
  
Soujirou grinned with a touch of mischief. "They aren't?"   
  
"OF COURSE NOT! I like… tall and muscular guys - with an air of mystery. With smooth, clean skin. And the most enigmatically blue-purple eyes! With a deep, sultry and almost melodic voice!" Soujirou noticed Misao's eyes slowly turn into hearts. He also found it amusing how her vocabulary took a sudden boost. "With silky dark hair that reflects the moonlight! Oh, and the physique! Oh, the physique-"   
  
"Ano, Misao-chan, I think I understand," Soujirou cut in.   
  
"Hm? Eh?" Already wallowed in a particular set of five letters.   
  
"I understand. I'm sorry I told Hanajima-san that you liked him, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings."   
  
Finally giving up on dissecting Aoshi's name in her mind, Misao shrugged. "Oh, well. I see that it's not very easy to forget about me"-insert sweatdropping Soujirou-"but he has to understand that my heart belongs to one person and one person alone!"   
  
"Trust me, I know," he assured her solemnly.   
  
"Urusai, you… Whoooaaa!"   
  
Soujirou stopped walking and examined his apparently frozen friend. "Misao-chan? Daijoubu desu ka?"   
  
A smile slowly formed itself on her blank face. "Sou-chan! I know this place!" she said, back to her exuberant self, pointing giddily at a wooden sign.   
  
Soujirou squinted at the sign. "Kamiya… Dojo?"   
  
"Oh my God, I can't believe how far we--" She was cut off, as Soujirou's body decided to land on top of her. "What THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" she screeched, kicking him off of her. When he didn't get up, that's when she started to worry. "Sou-chan? Sou-chan...? I didn't kick you _that_ hard..."   
  
Panicking, Misao got on her knees, opting to put plan A (shaking him until he gets up) into play. But once her fingers got in contact with him, she was shocked to feel unforgiving heat eminate from him. "Oh no..." As quickly as she could, she crept under Soujirou, hooking his arms around her neck. She got up, a limp Soujirou hanging over her like a coat. Thankfully, Kenshin and Kaoru's optimistic faith in mankind's innate goodness reflected in their easy-access entrance. Sure, robbers may benefit from it in the future, but for now, it was to Misao and Soujirou's luck.   
  
"Himura! Himura! Kaoru?! Anyone!" Misao's knees gave in to the pressure, and she let herself fall, with Soujirou, of course, following suit.   
  
"Misao? Mi_sao_? What in hell are you doing here?!" Unruly spikes slashed through the blue sky.   
  
A flood of emotions rushed through Misao, of happiness, of relief, of surprise. Take your pick. But they were emotions she would have to delay expressing. "Get Dr. Gensai or someone quick! My friend's passed out and I think he's down with a really high fever."   
  
"A really high fever?" Yahiko looked at the guy who was drooping all over the place.   
  
"It looks like, now go get someone who can cure him!"   
  
"Someone who can cure him?"   
  
"Geez, Yahiko, I don't have time to play Greek chorus with you, will you just please go?!" Misao snapped.   
  
Without looking back, Yahiko turned and left, with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm.   
  
"What in the... Misao-chan?"   
  
"Kaoru-san! Oh, thank God you're here!" The urge to hug Kaoru was supressed by having a blue-clad figure that was pinning her down with dead weight. "Kaoru-san, I sent Yahiko for help. My friend here, it looks like he's--"   
  
Petitioning God as well, Kaoru gasped in surprise. "Is he alright?" Kaoru gently took Soujirou shoulders to alleviate some of Misao's burden. Misao slowly crawled out from beneath him and helped Kaoru support him to his feet.   
  
"Kaoru-san, you have to let him stay here overnight! Do you have an extra room perhaps..."   
  
Kaoru was already leading him into an empty room, then she and Misao settled him onto the floor. "Here, he can stay here," Kaoru said, when their grueling task was over. She paused for a moment to gather more deserved breath. "I'm afraid you'll have to stay in this room, too. If you're planning to stay at all."   
  
Misao's eyes never strayed far from her ill friend even as she answered Kaoru. "Well, I have to wait for him to get better. I can't haul him all the way to Kyoto, like we did here."   
  
"This boy is going to Kyoto with you?" Kaoru asked, intrigued. "Who is he?"   
  
"Tenken no Soujirou."   
  
Megumi came rushing in, past a remarkably stoic-looking Sanosuke. "Does Kenshin know about this?" Sano continued, watching as Megumi sat herself beside Kaoru, pulling out medical doohickeys from her bag.   
  
"This is the fabled Tenken no Soujirou, huh?" Megumi didn't bother hiding the small smirk that found its way to her lips. "He's kind of cute. Ne, Kaoru?"   
  
Kaoru had been wondering innocently if Sano and Megumi had arrived at the same time. Indefinitely arriving at '_Nah, it's just a coincidence_', Kaoru examined Misao more than she did Soujirou. More precisely, Misao's sudden suspisciousness of Megumi. "Yeah, he is handsome. In a pre-teen kind of way." As she said this, she couldn't help but pride herself at bringing out a look of betrayal from Misao.   
  
Oblivious to Misao's building rage, Sano continued to stare at the unconscious boy. "Weasel-chan--"   
  
*Flying kunai*   
  
After begrudgingly returning Misao's weapons to her, Sano continued, "As I was _saying_... Why did you bring this kid here? To be cured, no less."   
  
"He's my friend, and he's sick. Thought it would be obvious enough," Misao growled.   
  
Sano, and he was not alone, was amused by her display of protectiveness. "I find it strange how you could befriend him--" he began, wanting to evoke more of this defensiveness.   
  
"I don't find it so strange," a gentle voice made itself known. It belonged to a red-haired man who was carrying a child that looked exactly like him, only two times smaller. "Yahiko thought he should tell me about your coming here, Misao-dono, but he didn't tell me that you brought Soujirou along with you."   
  
Misao's intensity finally paced itself as she faced Kenshin. "I didn't think it would be a problem, Himura-san. It's not, is it?" It sounded like she didn't need an answer.   
  
But he gave her one anyway. "There's no problem with helping him get better. He looks like he's in such a terrible condition. How bad is it, Megumi-dono?"   
  
Having been reminded the task at hand, Megumi began to make her way on top of Soujirou. And going up against a hearty protest from Misao. "Hey, hey, what are you doing, you crazy woman?! I told you to see what's wrong with him, not molest him!"   
  
"I'm checking his temperature, my uneducated friend. Now sit down!"   
  
"Yeah, I'm sure getting on top of the patient is standard operating procedure for you doctors, huh? I'll check his temperature!" Misao volunteered, trying to snatch the instrument from Megumi's hand.   
  
Lots of struggling and many maneuvers later, as well as a lot of sweatdrops contributed by Kenshin and Kaoru, Megumi held her curative gizmo in triumph. "He has-- a very high temperature!" she said, in between dodging Misao and her failed attempts.   
  
"Oh, thanks for the diagnosis, doc, we couldn't have figured it out without you!"   
  
"Now we must take off these dirty, wet clothes of his, lest his fever gets any worse--"   
  
"GET YOUR PERVERTED HANDS OFF HIM--"   
  
And as Misao was in the process of stripping Megumi off Soujirou, and Megumi stripping off Soujirou's gi, one can deduce that it would be the worst time for Soujirou to regain his consciousness.   
  
Unfortunately, his consciousness wasn't mindful of bad timing, and Soujirou woke up to Megumi and Misao. Mostly Megumi.   
  
"Aaaaahhhhhh!!" was all he could come up with.   
  
"Sou-chan! You're awake!"   
  
From his respective corner, Sanosuke softly echoed, "Sou-chan?"   
  
"Your pants are all muddy." Kaoru said, curious. "What happened? We can let Kenshin clean that if you want."   
  
"Oro?" Kenshin said, at the mention of his name.   
  
Soujirou turned. It was definitely Kenshin. Holding a chibi version of himself, but Kenshin nonetheless. "Himura-san. I am a rurouni now and-"   
  
"I'm glad to see you." Kenshin smiled.   
  
Soujirou stopped. He threw a questioning look at the peaceful man they once called hitokori Battousai.   
  
"I'm glad you're what you told me you'd do, although I'd have been happier to see you healthy and well."   
  
With Soujirou having nothing to reply to that, Kaoru insisted on knowing about the stains. "So, the mud?"   
  
"Oh, well, I got it while Misao-chan and I were walking. You see, she got a bit chagrined about some white lie I told Hanajima-san, then she shoved me and I fell into the mud."   
  
"You let Weasel-chan shove you?" Sano, of course.   
  
"Misao-chan's strength is deceitful, she's actually very powerful especially when she's angry."   
  
"Good point," both Sano and Kenshin agreed.   
  
Megumi took advantage of the distraction it provided Misao, and took off Soujirou's hakama in one clean swipe. "There you go, good-looking, now it's all ready for laundry."   
  
An embarrassed blush began to conquer Soujirou's face, and a basilisk glare conquered Misao's. Seeing the said glare, Kaoru maintained that Misao was spending too much time with Aoshi, but Megumi's reputable history of flirting with former-hitokoris-now-rurounis was worth noting.   
  
Just then, Kenji felt the need to express Soujirou's tumult in a wholehearted cry. Kenshin's calm exterior crumbled as soon as the tears came. "I'm afraid I must go, minna-san. I'll have to put Kenji to sleep," Kenshin said apologetically, making his way out of Soujirou and Misao's temporary room.   
  
Now that the child was out of sight, Misao unleashed the violence that she may be known for, given enough fuel to ignite her temper. She dove for Megumi, aiming to get her off Soujirou, her noble intentions being to give him some space. Unfortunately, her heroic lunge only led to two women tangled in a skirmish on top of Soujirou.   
  
"I think Kenji needs me as well," Kaoru said decidedly, wisely making her escape.   
  
Sano watched the swirly-eyed Soujirou, somewhere underneath the complicated knot of human bodies on top of him. "This must be some divine karmic retribution," Sano decided.   
  
"Cute, but _so_ not original," said a voice that came from the blur of bodies.   
  
Kenshin and Kaoru came to the rescue after having put their baby to sleep. Kaoru took the two women outside at Kenshin's request. Sano left by himself, having lost interest when Soujirou looked like he was about to pass out again.   
  
"Konban wa, Soujirou."   
  
"Thank you, Kenshin-san."   
  
Recalling the scene that was just played out, it was natural for Kenshin to be confused. "Hmmm? For what?"   
  
Soujirou smiled. "For… this. Not neccessarily what just happened. But, just... This new adventure. You gave me a chance to have it."   
  
"I'm just glad you used that opportunity. It gets hard sometimes, you know?"   
  
"Yes, I know. I experience it almost everyday," Soujirou revealed.   
  
"But it'll be worthwhile," Kenshin assured him. "Let me just give you advice, de gozaru ka. Don't look so hard, and don't be in a hurry to find it. You just might miss it." Kenshin smiled at him, then looked in the direction of where he placed Kenji. "And sometimes, what you're looking for might come in a way you didn't expect it." His eyes lingered until they finally rested on Kaoru's figure outside. He smiled peacefully.   
  
Soujirou nodded, smiling back at the older man, seeing his tranquility. "Thank you. Again."   
  
"So. Kaoru told me you'd be going with Misao-dono and Okina to Kyoto."   
  
"Hai."   
  
"Take care of yourselves. May I have your word?"   
  
Recognizing the fact that Misao was a considerably dangerous girl, he thought about his answer. "I'll do what I can."   
  
Outside, needless to say, it wasn't as docile. "Well, _sorry_, Kaoru, but not all of us are married," Megumi said, in response to Kaoru's scolding her.   
  
"Yeah, but Misao-chan doesn't appreciate you flaunting yourself to her boyf--"   
  
"Chotto matte! He's not my--" Misao groaned in frustration. She's had to explain to people that she and Soujirou had no romantic inclinations towards each other, and Kaoru was probably the explanation's 100th customer. "We're just traveling together that's all."   
  
Megumi was sauntering off to another direction, as Misao was finishing her clarification. "Well, try not to be so jealous the next time I come by, huh? And make him take the herbs I left."   
  
Once she was out of earshot, Misao aired out her frustrations. "Really, that woman makes me furious! And what kind of doctor is she, anyway?"   
  
"Well, it's your fault after all. If you just admitted to her that this guy really is your special someone, then maybe she would've--"   
  
"Hey, do you understand that 'NOT' is a negative adjective?"   
  
Kaoru blinked, genuinely surprised. "You mean he really isn't...?"   
  
The irking fermented into a galloping revulsion in Misao's eyes. "Kaoru. Do the words Shinomori Aoshi ring a bell?"   
  
"Ah." Kaoru paused thoughtfully. "I guess it was a little silly of me to think that you got over him."   
  
Misao nodded. "Yep."   
  
Nighttime came, as well as a general calm. Soujirou was resting alone in the room he was assigned to, upon Misao's unwavering insistence. His headache was getting dull gradually, but it still made its poignant presence known. A funny feeling settled at the pit of his stomach, making him feel like throwing up. Putting that together with the rest of his general body malaise, it wasn't hard to wallow in the misery of sickness.   
  
Suddenly, through the thin walls, he heard Misao's laughter. There were underlying voices that belonged to other people, but all Soujirou heard was Misao. And just as spontaneously as she laughed, his headache eased. The funny feeling shrunk away into oblivion. And all the pieces of achyness just drove out of his system.   
  
Maybe laughter _is_ the best medicine.   
  
It wasn't an aphorism he particularly subscribed to, given the past he came from, but he found that Misao's laughter was more effective than those medicinal herbs.   
  
He wondered about that aimlessly, until a petite ninja girl came in, a tray in hand. "Revisiting restaurant memories, are we?" Soujirou said with a grin.   
  
"Kind of," Misao said, with another one of those magical, healing laughs. "I'm glad to see you looking a bit better. Now tilt your head up a little and make this easier for me," she said, as she took the spoon and started stirring the soup with it.   
  
"Ne, Misao-chan, I can sit up and feed myself."   
  
As soon as he tried to demonstrate this ability of his, Misao used a knee to pin one of his shoulders down. "Come now, don't make such a big deal out of this. The sooner you get done eating, the sooner we can get to sleep. We need lots of rest, you especially, if you want to head to Kyoto by tomorrow."   
  
By now, Soujirou was used to the limited number of choices he had when dealing with a firmly decided Misao. So he swallowed his pride and let Misao feed him. And he wasn't sure, maybe the soup was too hot, maybe it was his fever... but with each spoonful she fed him, he could feel his heart getting warmer and warmer. The funny feeling in his stomach came back, only less unpleasant.   
  
It didn't leave him, not even as they were trying to sleep. It only grew more intense, as he felt a longing to close the gap between him and Misao. He was sick, he decided, that's probably why he was in need of affection. Maybe he was even delirious in high fever. Whatever the case may be, he went to sleep, his last thoughts were of getting to hold her as they fell asleep together...   
  
Morning came without a feeling of wanting to throw up. Which is always a cheerful 6 AM thought. And soon as the day progressed, with Soujirou completely remedied, it was time to leave.   
  
"Make sure to take care of yourself, Soujirou. You just got better," Kaoru said.   
  
Soujirou nodded. "Hai."   
  
"And Misao, try not to throw him into too many mud puddles. He just got better."   
  
"I'll keep that in mind," Misao promised dutifully.   
  
"Have a safe trip! Please come back whenever possible," Kenshin said. In his arms, his son waved Soujirou and Misao good-bye. "And Misao? Do make that Aoshi smile."   
  
Misao grinned. "You can count on me."   
  
"Arigato, Kaoru-san, Himura-san." Soujirou smiled, looking at Kenshin and his family. "Honto ni arigato."   
  
A few minutes later, Soujirou and Misao were on the road again.   
  
  
  
_Our paths, they did cross, though I cannot say just why   
We met, we laughed, we held on fast and then we said good-bye   
And who'll hear the echoes of stories never told?   
Let them ring out loud 'till they unfold…   
A voice from the past, joining yours and mine   
Adding to the layers of harmony   
And so it goes, on and on   
Melodies of life, to the sky beyond the flying birds   
Forever and beyond…   
Your voice will still remember our melody   
Now I know we'll carry on   
Melodies of life, come circle round and grow deep in our hearts   
As long as we remember_ (2)   
  
  
  
**author ramblings**; Sorry, I had to let them meet the K-gumi once again. I'm just being a self-indulgent author. And he just suddenly started calling her Misao-chan this chapter… Oh, and please don't blame me for making Soujirou sick or making Megumi and Misao fight. (pointing at **meiling-sama**) It was all her fault! I'm just an innocent obliging writer... Hope I did your ideas some justice, meiling!   
  
*elusive@phantom.org **doesn't work** right now, so in the meantime please e-mail me at i_am_not_ris@yahoo.com   
  
**notes**;   
(1) "Journey to the Past"; Anastasia  
(2) "Melodies of Life"; Final Fantasy 9  



	5. Chapter 5

_I got myself a notion  
One I know that you'll understand  
You set the world in motion   
by reaching out for each other's hands  
Maybe we'll discover what we should've known all along  
One way or another, together's where we both belong  
If we listen to each other's hearts  
We'll find we're never too far apart  
And maybe love is the reason why  
For the first time ever, we're seeing it eye to eye_ (1) 

  
"Nuh-uh, Sou-chan, you're too clumsy to wash dishes," Misao was saying.   
  
"As opposed to you breaking three of them at Kaoru-san's?"   
  
Misao gave him a wicked fisheye.   
  
"I see your point," Soujirou said quickly.   
  
"But I suppose we can run you through a screen test..."   
  
"Misao-chan! Misao-chan!"   
  
"Is that...?" They turned their heads to the source of the ecstatic voices. "Okon! Omasu!" Misao said with a twinge of sentimentality.   
  
"Misao-chan! Misao-chan, you're back!" Okon said.   
  
"Oh rapture! Our ever-revered okashira has returned!" Omasu gleefully said, although Misao noticed a lack of actual respect.   
  
Nonetheless, Misao was glad to be with her Oniwabanshuu. She ran up to both of them and attempted to squeeze their lives out of them in one suffocating hug. Unsuccessful but content, she stopped to ask, "Where's Aoshi-sama?!"   
  
"Hm. You didn't change at all," Okon said disapprovingly. "You didn't even introduce your friend."   
  
"Oh. Sou-chan?" Misao grinned. "That's Seta Soujirou. Sou-chan, this is Okon and Omasu."   
  
"Konnichiwa, Okon-san, Omasu-san," Soujirou said with a full-on kawaii smile.   
  
"He's very polite. Konnichiwa, Soujirou-san!" Okon said. "Well, Misao-chan, just like you, Aoshi hasn't changed very much. He's still in his non-stop meditation phase."   
  
"Hai. I'm kinda worried about him," Omasu added.   
  
"Oh. Well you didn't expect him to just change his mind, did ya? Especially at my absence!" Misao said, chin held high. She glanced at the darkening atmosphere. "It seems like he'll be done for the day. Well? Let's go home!" Led by the vivacious, bouncy okashira of the Oniwabanshuu, the troop made their way to the Aoiya.   
  
"Misao-chan," Omasu said, coming into step next to Misao. "Not that I doubt you or anything, but did you get the money for the repair?"   
  
"Of course!" Misao replied confidently. She turned to the man she gave the money to. "Jiya, did I get the money?"   
  
"Yes, yes, Misao comes home with more than enough," Okina verified.   
  
"Way to go, Misao-chan!" Omasu cheered.   
  
"Ah well," Misao said breezily, (pretending to be) humble, "I couldn't have done it without Sou-chan here."   
  
Soujirou modestly laughed. "Actually, she could have, only she'd have gotten it through different means…"   
  
Misao made a face. "Stealing only crossed my mind once or twice," she informed them.   
  
"Yep. Sure," muttered Okon behind a smile.   
  
"Hey, stop picking on me, didn't-" But Misao found out she couldn't speak anymore. Everything around her seemed to freeze. Okon, Omasu, Okina, Soujirou were all suddenly without motion. Time stood still for her, it seemed. Only the wind decided to tease her, blowing mockingly at her face. Laughing, all because he was standing there…   
  
"Aoshi-sama…"   
  
The one word she spoke most often tumbled awkwardly from her mouth.   
  
Aoshi was staring.   
  
Right through her.   
  
"Soujirou," he said coolly, yet still displaying his disgust for the name. "Tenken no Soujirou."   
  
"Shinomori Aoshi." Soujirou bowed calmly.   
  
"Feh. What are you doing here?"   
  
"Aoshi," Okina said, almost warningly.   
  
"I - Misao-chan had offered this place as a temporary home for me," he answered as politely as his vague emotions allowed him. "I have no home. But I will not stay for a long time, I will be wandering again after a while."   
  
Aoshi's attention turned to Misao. "Do you know who he is?" His usually cold, placid indigo eyes blazed as he spoke, piercing right through her heart.   
  
"I know who he is. I know who he used to be," Misao said in an almost pleading tone. "But all you know is who he was."   
  
"Is there anyone else to know?" Aoshi asked, back now turned.   
  
"Yes, Aoshi-sama! He's different now! He's-"   
  
"What he is now doesn't give retribution to what he was!" Aoshi said firmly. "How can you honestly live with yourself, Tenken? How blinded are you to believe that you can make up for your past crimes?" Stillness held them all as Aoshi walked away.   
  
Everyone was silenced.   
  
"So that's how Aoshi thinks, is it?…" Okon mumbled quietly.   
  
Omasu shook her head. "Personally, I don't care all too much. Can you imagine him, not even welcoming Misao-chan back."   
  
"Well, we can't blame him. I mean, all of a sudden, we bring home a ghost from the past he's desperately regretting," Misao said, instinctively defending Aoshi. "That's his life - meditating over what he did, and Sou-chan is a painfully obvious symbolism and reminder."   
  
"It's amazing how intelligent you can get when it comes to that man," Okina commented wryly.   
  
"What's that supposed to mean?!"   
  
"Isn't he ever going to forgive himself?" sighed Okon.   
  
Misao sighed as well. She turned to Soujirou, whose uncharacteristic excessive silence had began to bother her. "Hey, Sou-chan. That was just what Aoshi-sama believed, okay?"   
  
All she got was a plain old smile and a quiet, "Hai."   
  
At that time, Misao was overwhelmed with thoughts and decided it wasn't the best time to confront his extremely passive answer. However, the heaviness in her heart was uplifted by the familiarity that met her eyes. She smiled uncontrollably as her eyes quivered.   
  
It looked the same as always.   
  
She hugged Okina. "We're home!"   
  
The sudden voices captured a young man's attention. "Oi! Okina-sama! Misao-chan! Okon-chan! Omasu-koi!"   
  
"Shiro! What's up, how-" Misao's eyes grew approximately thrice its original size as her jaw dropped to the floor. "Omasu…koi!?" She watched dumbfounded as Omasu and Shiro hugged. "**What the hell is going on here**?!"   
  
Okon laughed. "Our poor clueless Misao… You see, while you were gone, Shiro and Omasu got together."   
  
"No kidding. Hence the lovey-dovey reunion," Misao said, still slightly stunned. "Oboy. What next… Did you and Seijuro Hiko get married?"   
  
"Actually…" Okon began coyly.   
  
"You wish!" Omasu said.   
  
"Hi there," Shiro said to the quiet boy at Misao's side.   
  
"Oh! Ano… I'm Soujirou," Soujirou said, obviously distracted. He smiled at them, as usual. "I'll just be gone for a few minutes. I'll be back soon."   
  
"Be careful, Soujirou, it's getting pretty dark," Okina said to the retreating boy.   
  
"And don't you be trying to escape from me!" Misao called.   
  
Soujirou laughed. "Perish the thought, Misao-chan."   
  
When the young swordsman was out of earshot, Okina worriedly said, "Where can he be off to? He'll surely get lost in the darkness."   
  
"Uh-uh… He'll know his way back. He always does," Misao assured them.   
  
"But where's he going? He's never been here at all," Shiro wondered.   
  
Misao shrugged, although wishing she had an answer. "Sou-chan's got a whole lot on his mind."   
  
When Soujirou arrived at his destination, he kept a safe distance from the man whose back was turned from him. He patiently and quietly stared. "What are you scheming, Tenken no Soujirou?" suddenly spoke the motionless figure.   
  
"Nothing, Shinomori-san," Soujirou replied. "I actually wished to talk to you."   
  
Aoshi got up smoothly, with his usual air of calmness. He walked towards the exit past Soujirou. "You wanted to speak with me?"   
  
Soujirou easily caught up to him. "Hai."   
  
"About what?" Now, Aoshi actually stopped walking, his deeply emotionless eyes glared at Soujirou, all attention towards the boy known to some as the Tenken.   
  
"About what you said…" His smile was still ominously present, but his hesitation was written all over his face. "That you couldn't make up for what you did in the past."   
  
"Hmph. I thought so." Aoshi glanced briefly at the sky. "You're young and foolish. How old are you, Tenken?"   
  
"My name is Soujirou, Shinomori-san. I am 19."   
  
"Sou ka. As I said, Soujirou," Aoshi continued, coldly playing with the last word, "you are young and naïve. You think that just because you've had a change of heart, you're free of the guilt your past sins caused you."   
  
"I never thought of myself as free of guilt-"   
  
"Then how do you explain that huge smile on your face?" Aoshi said, his nonchalant voice showing hints of disgust. "You obviously think that you can just put your past behind you, but you cannot."   
  
Soujirou felt himself weaken. "I have not put my past behind me yet, demo, I want to make up for it."   
  
"Make up for it?" Aoshi repeated, his air doing the mocking. "Do you think 'protecting the weak' now can justify the weak you've callously murdered before?"   
  
"…I don't know… Shikashi, I'm doing the best I can for now. By living my life protecting people, my life could still serve some purpose."   
  
Aoshi turned to him, now his glare was blatantly fierce. His scowl displayed the anger he had. For… for what? For Soujirou? For what Soujirou said? ...For himself? "Fool! There IS no answer for us! For what we have done! Beshimi, Hyokotto, Shikijou, Hannya!!" Aoshi's fists were clenched tightly. "Everything I-cannot change and redo… How am I supposed to give retribution, what am I supposed to do?!"   
  
Hesitantly, Soujirou gently spoke, "That is why I am wandering…"   
  
"Your journey is worthless," Aoshi spat out. "You and Battousai… How can your wandering make your wrongs right?"   
  
"It doesn't make anything right, nothing can make what I did right," Soujirou said, struggling to keep his smile. "But that doesn't mean I can't try to get my life straight. I was given something that could help people, and that's what I should do with it."   
  
Looking more unaffected and more indifferent, Aoshi turned away. "It's meaningless. That can't bring back the lives of the people you killed."   
  
"Well, neither would your meditating or hurting Misao-chan!" Soujirou managed to shock both Aoshi and himself.   
  
In fact, at that, Aoshi turned sharply to gave him a thoroughly intense glare. "Meditation is important to me. It is only then I can find small salvations of peace, a way in which I can make peace with myself."   
  
Soujirou neutrally said, "I respect that, but you still don't need to be so cold to Misao-chan."   
  
"Cold? How am I cold to her?"   
  
"Are you kidding me?!" He couldn't stop that one, but he caught himself. "Um. I mean... I don't mean to be rude but… well, you are her complete opposite. And she is a very warm and caring person."   
  
"Do you honestly think I do not care for Misao?" Aoshi muttered to him. "And was this also part of your plan, Seta Soujirou, to lecture me on how to treat people?"   
  
"No… but how you treat my friend is… unjustifiable."   
  
Aoshi sneered and began to walk away. "Unjustifiable? Do you even know how I feel for her? She's like my little sister. Whose heart I cannot break."   
  
"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you," Soujirou said, walking after Aoshi, "but you already have. It seems to me, on a daily or even hourly basis."   
  
"I already told her that I wouldn't be able to feel for her in any other way, should I expect you telling me to have romantic interest for her?" Soujirou was quiet. Speechless because of Aoshi's brutal honesty. "I don't wish to hurt her, I honestly don't," Aoshi said. And either Soujirou was hallucinating, or losing his mind again, but it seemed as if Aoshi's voice had softened a bit. "But I don't deserve her."   
  
Aoshi heard Soujirou's inadvertent gasp. "Wh-What do you mean?"   
  
"Misao shouldn't be in love with a man who killed for no purpose, and did not feel a shred of emotion for who he killed or how many he killed," Aoshi said. "The man… without a soul."   
  
"That's not true," Soujirou said softly. He glanced up at Aoshi's firm, expressionless face. "I know you. I know a lot about you. Traveling with Misao-chan, that's inevitable. I know how you became the okashira at the age of 15. That was pretty young, I was 15 just four years ago. And I bet, to be the okashira, you had to hide your emotions, didn't you?"   
  
"Emotions. They're weaknesses-"   
  
"You have emotions too, but like me, you keep them hidden under the façade you've grown to wear," Soujirou said, confident now. His smile dissolved into a thoughtful face, neutral and exhibiting older features.   
  
Aoshi's jaw was set firm as he proceeded to stare down Soujirou. "You have no idea who I am."   
  
"No, I guess not, Shinomori-san… But do you?"   
  
Aoshi turned once again, the air tossing his hair as he walked away from Soujirou. "All I can say is that like you, I've done things that are totally unforgivable." Soujirou didn't bother walking after Aoshi. His compulsory smile was currently absent from his face and was replaced by blatant twists of sadness and heaviness.   
  
_"Like you, I've done things that are totally unforgivable."   
  
"You obviously think that you can put your past behind you, but you cannot."_   
  
Soujirou's heart grew weary as Aoshi's words hypnotically repeated themselves in his head.   
  
_"How can you honestly live with yourself? How blinded are you to believe that you can make up for your past crimes?"_   
  
'What's this?' he thought to himself. 'My eyes and throat hurt simultaneously. And my breathing … it's getting ragged. My head is getting entirely warm…'   
  
Suddenly, he felt a light drop on his hair. He glanced up to the sky, which was darkly glancing back. The heavy clouds let it drizzle on Soujirou. Soujirou walked back to the Aoiya, slowly. When he arrived, a storm had broken out, as well as inexplicable and uncontrollable tears. "The… pain…" he choked out, as he clutched onto his gi and his chest. He could feel his heart racing and his temples throbbing. He couldn't feel any trace of strength or will to go inside the Aoiya.   
  
"Pain…"   
  
"Sou-chan? Is that you?"   
  
Misao smiled at him, despite the look of concern that subconsciously crawled all over her face. "Where've you been?! Come in, you're wet!"   
  
"Misao…" he said, voice cracking.   
  
Now her concern was shown in a full-out expression etched on her face. "Sou-chan? Hey- Have you been crying?!"   
  
"Get inside, you're gonna get wet," he said, smiling weakly. "I'll be right there."   
  
"Are you insane?!" Misao replied. She ran to him and attempted to drag him by the collar. "Get inside or you'll get sick!"   
  
"Go ahead. Please. I… I can't!"   
  
"Daijoubu desu? Tell me what's wrong! Come on!"   
  
Misao put her hands on Soujirou's chest and felt his heart beat increasing every minute.   
  
"I- I-" he stammered.   
  
"Sou-chan, what's wrong?" she asked again, in a tone so soft it almost didn't belong to her. She glanced up at him. He was surprised to see her usually-lively eyes now somber and tranquil.   
  
"Ano… ano…" Tears found themselves escaping Soujirou's eyes again, too much to blend with the rain.   
  
"Just tell me already!" She was about to beat the information out of him. 

But the look on Soujirou's face... It led to a moment of supreme sacrifice. "I mean... Well, you don't have to tell me. But... you'll have to learn to stop hiding your emotions from people, because... because not everyone's going to hurt you." There's a brief pause, like she doesn't want to blurt out the wrong words. "I won't hurt you."   
  
"...I know. I know that." Soujirou looked up. "I need to tell you something."   
  
Misao nearly went weak with relief. She had said the right thing. "What's wrong? Was it Aoshi-sama?"   
  
Images floated in his head, unforgiving, over and over.   
  
_ ... Iie! Iie!   
... You little bastard, what-?!   
... Dame, dame, dame!!!_   
  
His smile was shoved aside by a wincing, twisting look of pain that pulled at Misao's heart every time it grew. "You… you're so innocent and kind," Soujirou said through gasps. Misao looked in confusion at his sweet, boyish face. "Compared to me."   
  
"…Sou-chan…" Misao stroked his wet hair, her eyes asking him to continue.   
  
"You don't know… what I've … done …" Soujirou whispered. "You don't … know what I did when I was a child. I was a … I was abused when I was a child …" Misao's hand slid to his shoulder, as she listened intently, trying to decipher his words amongst whimpers. "I … would cry every night. Then, my… my 'father'. He would see me… pathetic. Bawling, and saying that I'd tell someone about … what he was doing to me. Then he'd beat me up again. He… nobody… would care how much I suffered and cried.   
  
"One day, I got so tired and weary of crying. So, I just stopped. I smiled. That man would give me this really strange look, and scold me, but then, he would stop hurting me. And even if he didn't hurt me, the smile I had would ease the pain a little." Soujirou's face made it appear as if he was reliving his father's blows and hits.   
  
"What kind of father would do that?!" Misao said, seething.   
  
"He only did it to me… I was the illegitimate, bastard son…" Misao was quiet, not sure how to react to his revelations. Soujirou sighed. "Shishio-san came to my life after some time. I stole bandages from my house to survive him. When he asked about my bruises out of concern, I told him about how I was always beaten up. That's when he taught me that the strong survive, and that the weak die.   
  
"After that, my father found out that I was hiding a killer in our house. Shishio-san. And then, I killed my family."   
  
Misao gasped, withdrawing her hands and taking a step back from Soujirou. "Gomen, Sou-chan. It's just that… I didn't know. I was surprised." She went closer to him once again then took his hand.   
  
"It's okay. Wakarimashita. But that isn't even where it ended. Shishio-san trained me after that, and… and… and I became a murderer… And I didn't even feel anything!!!"   
  
"It wasn't your fault!" Misao told him firmly. "Shishio was the one with the whacked-out ideas, and he raised you without letting you experience any emotions!"   
  
With a hurt look, he replied, "Shishio-san did not have whacked-out ideas." He looked decided about his sentiments.   
  
Misao bit her lip. "Well… it still wasn't your fault…" she said softly, hoping to retract the mistakes she made.   
  
"Aoshi-san was right!" Soujirou said, almost screaming now. "I have no excuses for what I did! None! _None._"   
  
Surprised at Soujirou's display of pain, Misao shut her eyes. She then threw her arms around him, in an almost protective embrace. Soujirou's damp eyes widened at the sudden feel of her arms around his body. "Maybe you do, maybe you don't! But I know for a fact that you've changed. And if you didn't, I don't think I'd ever have been as happy as I've been these past few months… You've changed, Sou-chan, I know it!!"   
  
Trapped in shock, Soujirou was frozen. He was confused at the salvation he found in knowing that he had made Misao happy.   
  
The rain kept blending in with his tears. But this time, he would not hide it. The tears were for his family, for the Juppon Gatana, for everyone he killed. The tears that were a sign of the strong emotion he felt.   
  
  
  
_Spend all your time waiting for that second chance  
For a break that would make it okay  
There's always one reason to feel not good enough  
And it's hard at the end of the day  
I need some distraction, oh, beautiful release  
Memory seeps from my veins  
Let me be empty and weightless and maybe  
I'll find some peace tonight  
In the arms of an angel, fly away from here…  
From the endlessness that you fear  
You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie  
You're in the arms of an angel  
May you find some comfort here_ (2)  
  
  
  
  
**author ramblings**; I'm sorry if I made Aoshi-sama a semi-dick (imagine that). I [heart] Aoshi-sama (hence the suffix) but this _is_ a Sou-chan fic…   
  
**notes**;   
(1) "Eye To Eye"; Goofy Movie  
(2) "Angel", Sarah McLachlan; City of Angels  



	6. Chapter 6, Part 1

_ And I'd give up forever to touch you  
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow  
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be  
And I don't want to go home right now  
And all I can taste is this moment  
And all I can breathe is your life  
'Cause sooner or later it's over  
I just don't want to miss you tonight…  
And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming…  
When you bleed just to know you're alive  
And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken,  
I just want you to know who I am _ (1)   
  
  
  
  
  
"Sou-chan?"   
  
"H-hai…?"   
  
She let go of him and turned her back to him. "Let's go inside now. We're both getting drenched."   
  
She gave him a quick glance accompanied by a quick smile. She grabbed his wrist and led him into the Aoiya, where he was promptly hit by two towels, flying mysteriously in mid-air.   
  
"What were you doing? It's raining hard."   
  
Misao took one towel and lovingly placed it on her cheek. "Aoshi-sama! Were you worried about me?" She gave him a huge love struck grin. He returned it with… well, nothing.   
  
"I thought you two may have been attacked."   
  
Misao's eyes flashed between two narrow slits. "What're you talking about, you just cared about me, and that's why you came looking for us!" Misao gave him a warning glare to hint the correct answer.   
  
". . ."   
  
If looks could kill, Aoshi would have been a deformed, rotting corpse. But, looks can't kill, and the way Aoshi acted, Misao's was practically unnoticeable. She gave up and gave him an annoyed look. Followed by a neutral one. Then a tolerant one. Then she just burst into one big smile. "OyASUmI, AoSHi-SaMa!!!!   
"...You too."   
  
"Sweet dreams!   
"I do…"   
  
"You suck at lying. Dry up and get some rest tonight, 'kay?"   
  
"Oyasumi," he said with a closed-eyed smile as he walked to his designated room.   
  
"Oyasumi!"   
  
Soujirou's inner conflicts were still raging within, but strangely enough, he found himself lulled into sleep by Misao's voice… The next day, the usually-present sun wasn't there to greet Soujirou. He concluded that maybe the sunlight didn't pass easily through the shade of the Aoiya. He opened the door in search for any familiar face and found Okon.   
  
"Ohaiyo, Soujirou-san!"   
  
"Ohaiyo gozaimasu!"   
  
"Misao-chan was looking for you, she said you'd have been awake by now," Okon said.   
  
"Where is she?"   
  
"Depends where Aoshi is."   
  
Soujirou laughed. "You know her well."   
  
"Soujirou-kun, you're awake," came Okina's voice.   
  
"Hai… did I wake up that late?" Soujirou wondered aloud.   
  
Okina nodded. "Come, Omasu, Misao, Kuro and Shiro are already eating lunch."   
  
"L-lunch?!" Soujirou repeated.   
  
"Sou-chan? Where've you been?!" Misao asked.   
  
"Ano… Sleeping…"   
  
She grinned. "Boy, you sure slept late."   
  
"Aa. It was strange," he said, sitting down beside her.   
  
The group ate and chatted as they lazily enjoyed life. "Hey, that's mine!" Omasu said, in an attempt to retrieve her rice cake from her koibito.   
  
"But I thought we were supposed to share things now," Shiro replied innocently.   
  
"Umph! I draw a line our food!"   
  
Okon laughed. "You two sound like you're already married."   
  
"If we were married, she'd be _offering_ her rice cake to me," Shiro said emphatically.   
  
"_If_ we were married," Omasu countered. "But I'm too smart to be marrying a rice cake-stealing nut like you!"   
  
"Here, Omasu-chan, you can have one of mine," Soujirou offered.   
  
"Huh? No, you didn't eat breakfast! Not like some anonymous pig sitting next to me…" Omasu hinted subtly.   
  
"You don't want it, Sou-chan?" Misao asked, eyes big and hopeful.   
  
As Soujirou turned to offer to Misao, Okina gave her a glare and warned, "Misao, don't take it."   
  
"Jiya!" Misao rolled her eyes. "Oh, fine, fine, just eat it, Sou-chan."   
  
"Demo, Misao-chan-" Soujirou started.   
  
Misao shoved it into Soujirou's mouth. "Arfrigatfo (2)," Soujirou said through a rice cake filled mouth.   
  
Misao laughed. She used his sleeve to wipe his face, smeared with crumbs and indistinguishable substances. "Well," she said, rising to her feet, "I'm gonna visit Aoshi-sama. Ja ne!" A chorus of farewells saw her off as she skipped happily away in the joy of knowing that she'd be near her Aoshi in just a short moment.   
  
And was she surprised by how short that moment turned out to be.   
  
She gawked when she saw Aoshi, a few inches from the Aoiya itself. He had on his stern expression, his cold, frozen indigo eyes. His stance made it seem as if he were actually expecting somebody. Misao paused the instantly broke into a smile. "Aoshi-sama! What are you doing here? You're done meditating?"   
  
"For the day."   
  
"Kakkoi! Now you can spend some time with us!" Misao said with sparkling, anticipating eyes. "Come on! Everyone's still eating lunch. Jiya, Sou-chan, Okon, Omasu-"   
  
"I want you stay away from Soujirou."   
  
"N…nani?" Misao looked at him, puzzled. "Why? Is it… is it because of the whole killer-with-no-remorse thing? It's alright. He told me everything. I know his past."   
  
"It isn't that," Aoshi replied. "I just don't want you to get too attached to him. He's going to be off wandering again soon."   
  
Misao shrugged. "I know. But he's coming back right after."   
  
"Misao, I've already talked to Soujirou. His journey seems very important to him. He's taking it very seriously. It may take him ten years like Battousai… or not. Soujirou is the kind who needs clear answers to everything. That, with the total repayment of what he's done."   
  
"So… what you're saying is that you think he might not come back here because you think he'll never stop wandering?" Misao said slowly. "…I already talked to him about that. Journeys really don't end and stuff. And… well, and…" She paused. She looked at Aoshi, meeting his eyes. "He's going to come back. That's what I think. But… Aoshi-sama, why do you suddenly care so much about Sou-chan?"   
  
Aoshi turned his back on her. "As I mentioned earlier, I've already talked to him. And he left me with one question. If I knew myself."   
  
Misao looked at his figure, looking to see if there were any emotions given away by his currently hidden eyes. "Do you?"   
  
"I am not sure." Intrigued by his answer, Misao leaned in closer to him. When he felt her head on his back, he continued, "but I know I do not deserve you."   
  
Misao straightened. "Deserve me?"   
  
"I saw you last night, holding Soujirou as he cried. And I had wondered if he deserved to be comforted like that."   
  
"Aoshi-sama."   
  
"Do I deserve to be comforted by you? To be loved by you?"   
  
Misao hugged him from behind, overwhelmed by his question. "Aoshi-sama! You deserve… everything that… Because, you better be worth it! I've waited for you for so long! It was painful, what you put me through. But what can make me happy is for your return. Your true return."   
  
Aoshi stood still, motionless.   
  
"Don't you get it?!" she continued. "You are so DENSE! You've hurt me, you've made me cry, you've made me wait for so long. Don't you understand that I deserve something for all that? Don't you understand you have to do something? You have to care for me, for crying out loud!   
  
"You have to love me!"   
  
A moment prolonged, leaving Misao to hug Aoshi in pure silence.   
  
Finally, finally he turned around. He looked at her with those indigo eyes of his…   
  
…and smiled. "You've made me smile. The fact that I live now made me smile." He held her shoulders. "The fact that I haven't lost you…"   
  
Misao hugged him, tears pouring down her cheeks. "I love you."   
  
"A…Aishiteru…" he whispered, only heard by Misao and the nearby trees.   
  
'Yes,' she thought to herself. 'It's worth the wait.' Slowly, as if her awkwardness could break this moment, wake her up from this fragile dream, she kissed him. And he kissed back.   
  
Omasu wiped a tear from her eyes. "Can we go outside and congratulate them _now_?"   
  
Okon, clutching Okina's clothes, replied through sobs, "Please, Okina-sama! This is torture!"   
  
"You think that's torture, try having someone getting your clothes all wet!" he replied accusingly. Okon immediately latched herself onto Omasu and the two girls cried on each other. "Besides, Misao would never forgive us. And Aoshi? Oh boy."   
  
"First Omasu and Shiro, now Misao-chan and Aoshi! This is like out of a fairytale!" Kuro said wistfully.   
  
"Yeah. Boy, does Misao look happy," Shiro observed. "And Aoshi… well, I guess that's the closest to happy he'd ever look, ne?"   
  
Soujirou watched them, his friend with the most joyful grin he'd ever seen. And though there was this unexplainable heaviness in his heart, he found himself inwardly thanking Aoshi. "Finally… She got what she deserves."   
  
"Happiness," Okon whispered.   
  
As Soujirou watched Misao take Aoshi's hand, leading him to God knows where, he felt the heaviness in his heart grow deeper. "Unh…"   
  
"What did you say, Soujirou?" Shiro asked.   
  
"Nothing."   
  
"So, are you going with me and Okon?" Omasu invited him.   
  
"Etto… where?"   
  
Omasu grinned. "We're gonna follow 'em around. Don't worry, we're Oniwa, we won't get busted."   
  
"… n-no thanks." Sweatdrop.   
  
Okon waved. "Suit yourself! Ciao!"   
  
Aoshi, Misao, Okon and Omasu disappeared from then on. Okina was in his room, being convinced by Shiro that Aoshi was indeed suitable for Okina's little Misao. Kuro was preoccupied getting ready for a special dinner - in celebration for… take a wild guess. Soujirou was outside the Aoiya, content being alone. He wished to be by himself because he didn't really feel like smiling for anyone. Then they'd ask him what's wrong. And he'd have no answer.   
  
'Maybe… is this what Kamatari described to me one day?'   
  
He recalled Kamatari's words…   
  
"_There's a certain feeling. When somebody feels more important than yourself. When that person is in your mind everyday. You're happy, when he's happy. You're sad, when he's sad. But sometimes you're sad when it isn't you who's making him happy. You'd do everything for him, because you. . ._"   
  
'That's pretty much how I feel. Except, Misao is a girl.'   
  
'That feeling. What was it? It was…'   
  
Soujirou told himself not to remember.   
  
'It was…'   
  
Soujirou told himself to pretend not to remember.   
  
'It was love…'   
  
That was it. There was no turning back. Soujirou had faced the truth. And the truth was…   
  
'I love Misao. I can't be without her...'   
  
He remembered Kamatari, who had said the same thing about Shishio.   
  
'Shishio… Shishio-sama…'   
  
Shishio. The poignant name that reminded him that he had to go on wandering. That he had crimes that could not be erased.   
  
'I love Misao. That is why I cannot be with her.' He felt his chest tighten once again. He begged for rain.   
  
'I will leave tonight.' And it rained.   
  
"Soujirou! Get in! Dinner will come soon, and it's pouring outside!" came Kuro's voice.   
  
"Hai, Kuro-san," he yelled over the rain. The grief-stricken Soujirou smiled at Okina, Shiro and Kuro.   
  
"Soujirou! You're wetter than - mmmpphhff!!" Okina was interrupted abruptly by Shiro's hand. Okina whacked Shiro's palm away. "I was gonna say that you were wetter than a drowned fish, but someone here rudely put his dirty hands on me!"   
  
"Drowned fish?" Shiro muttered, unconvinced.   
  
"Mm… It's raining real hard outside," Soujirou said.   
  
"Aa. I wonder where Misao and the others are," Okina said.   
  
As if on cue, in came Misao, glomped tightly onto Aoshi, with Okon and Omasu following them with a trail of giggles.   
  
"Ah, my little Misao… Where have you been?!" Okina barked.   
  
"Relax, Jiya. We were talking. Privately, or so we THOUGHT," Misao said with a snarl.   
  
"Really, Misao-chan, you should have noticed. You're Oniwabanshuu, after all," Omasu, guilty party, said, still giggling.   
  
"Okashira, no less!" Okon added.   
  
Misao stuck her tongue out. "Absolutely no respect."   
  
"Respect or no, you oughtta eat now, Misao-chan," Kuro said. "I worked hard for the dinner we're gonna eat tonight."   
  
"Dinner? Oh! Peace! Let's eat!" Misao said quickly. She happily hopped to take her place in the dining area, still inextricably attached to Aoshi's arm. Googly-eyed, she pointed at the food. "Wow! Look at that fish!"   
  
"Really… What's the occasion?" Okon asked casually.   
  
"Nothing. Just thought it wouldn't hurt to make Misao even happier," Kuro replied coyly.   
  
Misao grimaced. "You ALL know, don't you?"   
  
"Know what? Yeah, ok, so we do," Shiro said.   
  
"That death hold you have on Aoshi's arm would have given it away, even if we didn't," Soujirou said, and everyone laughed. "We're all happy for you both."   
  
Misao burst into an uncontainable grin. "Thanks, minna."   
  
Aoshi glared.   
  
"Oh, well, at least he isn't brooding anymore," Omasu observed quietly.   
  
"I'm really happy for you," Soujirou repeated. "And, I'd just like to say thank you. Thank you to all of you. I … will remember all of you when I… when I leave tonight."   
  
Misao's jaw dropped. "You're leaving?!" she hissed, more of a command to answer correctly, rather than a question.   
  
"H-hai. Wandering, remember?"   
  
"Yeah, but… but…" Misao looked almost frantic. "It's raining hard outside! Why don't you leave tomorrow?"   
  
"Believe me, it'll be harder for me to…"   
  
"It's nighttime, to boot! It'd be better if you left tomorrow, it's going to be less dark! You won't get lost!"   
  
"I won't get lost. I don't have a place I'm looking for."   
  
Misao whacked him upside the head.   
  
Hard.   
  
"Misao-chan-!!!" Okon began to scold her.   
  
"Why do you have to ruin my happiness, just when I found it?! You can't leave tonight, what difference would it make if you stayed for one more day?"   
  
Still shocked from the blow, he stammered, "I have to leave tonight!"   
  
"No! You won't!" Misao told him firmly. "Now don't give me any of that crap on how you can stand it or whatever, it's raining really hard outside. It's very dark, too, and it'd make me feel better if you left when there's light. I want you to stay here for one more night. Where I know you'll be safe. If you're going to leave me, I want you to go with me knowing that you're going to be safe. Just one more night, Sou-chan, onegai." Big aqua eyes began to melt Soujirou's heart…   
  
"Let him go Misao," Aoshi said quietly.   
  
"N-nani?"   
  
"Don't try to keep him here. It will just make it harder for him to leave," Aoshi said.   
  
Misao's head bowed down. She looked up and whispered, "Iie."   
  
Aoshi looked at her with obvious disapproving glares.   
  
It was hard, but she managed to ignore them. "If you're going to really leave me, the least you can do is stay with me, in safety, for just one more night."   
  
"She's right, Soujirou-kun, it would be much more reasonable if you left tomorrow," Okina finally said. "But the decision-that is entirely up to you."   
  
"…I'll leave tomorrow," Soujirou said weakly.   
  
Silence reigned over the Aoiya. Except for the triumphant rain, singing in its boastful glory.   
  
"Arigatou… Hontou ni arigato…" Misao said.   
  
When dinner was over, the time Soujirou had been yearning for ever since he announced his departure, Soujirou went straight to sleep. He could hear Aoshi and Misao talk. Misao's voice had never been as bittersweet.   
  
"Aoshi-sama. You never did get to answer my question," Misao said leadingly, as she and Aoshi sat together.   
  
"What question?"   
  
"The question I asked right before Okon landed on me, right before she fell off the tree she was eavesdropping from?" Misao said. No recognition landed on the man. Misao sighed. "Why did you make me wait so long?"   
  
There was a moment of silence. "It wasn't to let you wait, it was to let me wait."   
  
"Let you wait? For what?"   
  
"Until I could forgive myself."   
  
Misao paused, thinking about what he had just said. Finally, she glanced up at him. "Then, you've forgiven yourself?"   
  
"..Hai."   
  
She wrapped her arms around Aoshi. "Then, I'm happy."   
  
"But not entirely."   
  
"Eh? What makes you say that?"   
  
Aoshi shook his head, but remained as silent as the stars.   
  
"I am happy…" Misao insisted.   
  
"Yes, I know. But you do feel a certain loss, don't you? It's Soujirou, isn't it?"   
  
Misao finally understood what Aoshi had been driving at. "Oh. Sou-chan. Well, yeah… I'm going to miss him so much. I desperately want him to stay."   
  
"But he can't. You really have to let him go."   
  
"Hai, hai, hai. I know." Misao let out a sigh. "I'm just… I'm just gonna miss him a lot." She put her head on Aoshi's shoulder. "At least… At least I have you."   
  
"Misao…"   
  
That night, the rain died down. Although it was pouring really hard during the beginning of the night, it got lighter as the night grew darker.   
  
By morning, it was ultimately sunny. The day was virtually perfect, clear blue sky, morning dew, and to top it all off, a rainbow.   
  
"Omasu-san! It's such a wonderful day!" Misao chirped.   
  
Omasu, doing the laundry, laughed. "Hai, Misao-chan. Or shall we call you Shinomori Misao?" (3)   
  
Misao blushed. "Hmph!… Actually, it sounds very rhythmic…" Misao bounced off to Okina's room. "Ohaiyo, Jiya!"   
  
"Ohaiyo…"   
  
Obviously not a morning person.   
  
"Ohaiyo, Sou-chan!"   
  
No answer.   
  
'Still asleep?' she thought. 'Is it just me, or does Kyoto bring out the late riser in him?'   
  
She opened the door, but Soujirou wasn't there. She went inside Soujirou's room, as if to make sure. "Hmm… so he's not - chotto!" Something caught her eye. There was a piece of paper stuck from inside the door. (4)   
  
"What the hell?" she muttered to herself.   
  
It was folded rather awkwardly, and the paper seemed torn and tattered.   
  
Misao took it and opened it.   
  
It was a letter… 


	7. Chapter 6, Part 2

To my dear friends, 

I'm sorry to have just left without really saying good-bye. But I know that it would just be so much harder for me to leave. You are all kind people, and it's difficult to think of my life without any of you. I'm very grateful for your patience and hospitality, but most of all, for your friendship. 

Okina-san, thank you most especially for being so understanding and accommodating. I will owe you for the rest of my life. Omasu-chan. Thank you for all the times you spent with me. Thank you also for teaching me laundry. I know it's going to be useful. Okon-chan, thank you for all the advice you've give me. You're like an older sister, almost more than Yumi-san ever was. I hope Hiko-san will finally notice your beauty and kindness. Kuro-san, dinner last night was sugoi! You are very talented. Shiro-san, you were very fun to be with. Thank you for being so friendly towards me. I hope you and Omasu-chan don't fight so much anymore. Aoshi-san, thank you for talking to me and teaching me so many things. You may not know it, but what you told me will affect my life greatly. Arigato gozaimasu. Misao-chan, please don't be mad at me. I really am sorry. But I promise you I'll come back. But in the meantime, please remain friendly and cheerful and caring. I hope you and Aoshi-san will have a great life. I left a gift for you, it's in the box in the left corner. 

I'm sorry I was only able to get Misao-chan a gift, but I used up all the money I had. I hope you are not offended, but I have spent a lot of time traveling with Misao-chan. 

I had meant for this to be a short note, but it has kind of expanded. I guess it's really time to go. If you'll let me, I'll visit you. Please don't forget me, or at least remember that I will be safe and I will take care of myself. 

I wish you all well, and I promise you that I'll never forget any of you. Especially you, Misao-chan. Please forgive me. Sayonara. 

Soujirou 

* * *

Omasu heard a sound, it seemed like there was some destruction of some sort. Worried, she pulled Okon, Shiro, Kuro, and even Okina out of their rooms.   
  
"What's the big deal?" Okina grumped.   
  
"We don't wake up this early, Omasu-" Kuro said with a hearty yawn.   
  
"I heard a crash!" Omasu replied. "It came from Soujirou's room!"   
  
"Eh? So what? Misao's probably at his throat again, there's nothing very extraordinary about that," Okon reasoned.   
  
Omasu shook her head. "Let's just check."   
  
They were surprised.   
  
Not because Soujirou wasn't there. Or because Misao was there.   
  
It was because Misao was there, and she was crying.   
  
Serious rage filled her eyes. Not like the gleam they take on whenever she was arguing with Okina, or the playful angered look they had whenever she was bickering with Sano or Yahiko. Misao was furious, and the intense anger that flashed from her eyes was nowhere near playful.   
  
"Misao?" Kuro said quietly.   
  
Misao didn't look up. She put her hand up, a tightly balled-up fist that contained a piece of paper.   
  
Okina and Omasu hugged Misao, as Kuro patted her hand. Shiro walked away while Okina stood, motionless with a neutral expression.   
  
Nobody said anything until Shiro presented Misao with a box. "This was on the left corner."   
  
Misao opened it, to reveal…   
  
_// Flashback //   
  
// She remembered just having left Chou, earning some money to blow. She and Soujirou went around town, checking out the stores like two children looking for a game to play.   
  
Then she found a shiny set of kunai, brand new and sharp.   
  
"If only I had the money," she said, ogling at the small weapons.   
  
"I can buy it for you, it's the least I can do-"   
  
"Forget it. Although… Iie! We'll just come back to get it."   
  
"Why? I can buy-"   
  
"Sou-chan!" she whined, cutting him off. "Look, you don't owe me anything, alright? We'll just get more money, 'till I have enough for the Aoiya and these babies!"   
  
"Do you really like them that much?" he asked.   
  
"Y-No!"   
  
"Hmm… but I'm sure you'll get them someday." //_   
  
…two sets of kunai.   
  
  
  
_Oh my hero, so far away now, will I ever see your smile?…  
We must part now, my life goes on,  
But my heart won't give you up 'Ere I walk away, let me hear you say  
I meant as much to you…  
So gently, you touched my heart  
I will be forever yours, come what may, I won't age a day,  
I'll wait for you, always…_ (5)   
  
  
  
**author ramblings**; Sorry if I overuse the Kyoto Oniwabanshuu… I just thought they deserved more screen time! Okon and Omasu are so funny. ("Hiko-sama!" Hehe.) I gave Kuro and Shiro speaking lines too… 

Also, apology for the the OOCness. But it's hard to avoid, as far as Aoshi-sama is concerned. ^_^' 

Comments welcome! Flames will only be ignored if they fall far from intelligent and/or helpful. ^_^   
  
**notes**;  
(1) "Iris", Goo Goo Dolls; City of Angels  
(2) Translation: Arigato.  
(3) Actually, it sounds better than Seta Misao… Oh well… It'll rub off on us, right?  
(4) I don't know how. I mean, use your imagination.   
(5) "Opera Scene"; FF3 (Japanese) or FF6 (English) 


	8. Chapter 7

_ Between the freezing needle, leafed trees,   
Fate runs through deeply   
Embracing wishes in vain as they burn in the storm's whirlpool…   
The light is growing faint in the shout of my heartbeat…   
I did not stop, I cannot escape it   
Manipulated by illusion I keep on running   
Only by probing for the way   
Fearing that for me the future holds only mistakes   
When will I be fully forgiven?   
When will the end come?   
So painfully I love you _ (1)   
  
  
  
  
  
[Soujirou]   
  
Soujirou folded the note as slowly as he possibly could. For as long as he was folding, he had a reason to stay within the Aoiya, without his conscience bugging him. But soon the note was so small that Soujirou had to hold it between the tips of his fingers.   
  
'So, is it really time to leave?'   
  
He stuck the note from inside the door. The door… he touched the wood, new and sturdy. It took all of his will power to step out of the room. He slid the door quietly. 'My smile is quivering,' he realized. He walks toward where his feet lead him, a rurouni-esque habit he picked up. His feet, probably encouraged by his heart, had led him to Misao's room. But his mind urged him to walk even further. Away, and away, until he couldn't see the Aoiya. Not once did Seta Soujirou look back.   
  
The sun showed itself proudly, leaning on a perfect light blue, orange and purple sky. All the people moved through the soothing wind, letting its melody drown in with their cheerful chatter. The sakura tree blended in beautifully with the afternoon, hovering gracefully over the street market.   
  
But Seta Soujirou was not satisfied.   
  
Why wasn't he satisfied? Because there wasn't any lady who was screaming for his help. To catch this little thief who'd turn out to be female. Who'd turn out to…   
  
"You are crazy," he told himself. "You'd even go through meeting Minako-san and Ishiida-san just to meet Misao all over again…"   
  
It hadn't been the street market where he and Misao had met. In fact, the town he was at didn't even seem familiar to him. But every single thing kept reminding him of a certain person he left at the Aoiya.   
  
He sighed. He knew he wasn't going to get anywhere if all he thought about was Misao. 'But then… I promised I wouldn't forget her.' He sighed again. 'And at the rate I'm going, it doesn't seem as if I have much of a choice.'   
  
Though stricken with poverty once again, he entered a town restaurant and just sat there. He watched the people eat. He watched as some of them laughed, as some of them talked. As some of them were just spending time with each other. "Hey, boy, why so depressed?"   
  
Soujirou glanced up at the unexpected voice. What he saw was a girl, perhaps a few years older than him, her brows furrowed in concern. "Etto…"   
  
"Are you hungry?"   
  
Soujirou glanced away and shook his head.   
  
The girl tilted her head. "Aw, I bet you are. Come on, just tell me what you want. It's on the house."   
  
After a moment, the girl patted his shoulder and smiled kindly at him. "Alright, hon… it'll be ready in a second."   
  
"Huh?" sputtered Soujirou. But by then, the girl already left for his apparent order. "That's strange," he mumbled to himself. "I don't think I even ordered anything…"   
  
The girl returned shortly, tray on her hand and a pitying smile on her face. "Here ya go, sweetie. Try to cheer up, okay?" She put down the tray in front of him then left.   
  
Soujirou simply glanced at the bowl. Miso soup.   
  
[Misao]   
  
"Misao-chan? The food's ready!" Okon called from outside Misao's door.   
  
No reply.   
  
"She still might be asleep…" Omasu said helplessly.   
  
"Or she might still be angry," Okon said, sighing.   
  
"Damn it! It's been three days since Soujirou left! Isn't she over it yet?!" Shiro said through gritted teeth.   
  
Kuro shook his head. "I've never seen her this mad before…"   
  
"This isn't good!" Omasu exclaimed. "She's eaten three meals the past two days!" In despair, Omasu knocked firmly on Misao's door. "Misao-chan, come out right now! You can't bring Soujirou back that way!"   
  
... "Please leave me alone." A lump was in Misao's throat. She tried to swallow it so she could talk, but she couldn't.   
  
[Soujirou]   
  
"It's been a week. A week..."   
  
What had happened that week?   
  
He had not eaten. He had not slept for very long.   
  
He had not forgotten.   
  
"This journey is useless! Meaningless!" Salty tears free flowed down his cheeks. "Just like… my life…" He fell on his weakened knees. "Shishio-san. Shishio-san, doko wa? Are you alright?" He clutched his head with his hands. "Shishio-san? Are you with Yumi-san? And Houji-san?   
  
"How was your journey?" Soujirou laughed sardonically.   
  
"Was it worth it, Shishio-san? Was everything worth it?" He saw a cliff. Soujirou laughed again, lost in a bout of insanity. "The cliff doesn't stop, does it? It meets right with the beautiful sky. So beautiful…   
  
"To touch it would be paradise…"   
  
Soujirou walked slowly towards the end of the cliff. He was surprised, for he had not been the only there. "Kami-sama."   
  
"Soujirou… chan…" the surprised feminine voice continued. The voice that was altogether too familiar.   
  
"Kamatari."   
  
Kamatari looked at him. "It's here. It's my sign, isn't it?"   
  
Soujirou was baffled. "Nani?"   
  
Kamatari took a deep breath. "I'm gonna do it."   
  
"Do what?"   
  
Kamatari turned and gave Soujirou a once-over. "Soujirou? You look different."   
  
"Honto ni?"   
  
"Yeah. As if you've grown up."   
  
"Well… we haven't seen each other for a very long time."   
  
"Almost two years. Oh, no, that's not it. I know why you look different. You're not smiling."   
  
And that was when he finally realized it. He wasn't smiling. Soujirou glanced away. "Where've you been?"   
  
Kamatari shrugged, and smiled slightly. "Around."   
  
"You're different as well. Your hair has grown longer, and you've grown much thinner," Soujirou noticed. "And your change is not physical alone. You're not as cheerful."   
  
Kamatari snorted. "Well, I guess not. To tell you the truth, I've been thinking about really serious things," he confessed. "I've been looking for a sign."   
  
"Yeah, the 'sign'… The sign for what?"   
  
"If I should go and see Shishio-sama once again."   
  
He closed his eyes suddenly, in recollection and in guilt. "But… Kamatari-san, gomen ne… Shishio-san is…"   
  
"Shinta."   
  
Soujirou's eyes snapped open. "You knew?"   
  
Kamatari nodded.   
  
"Chotto…" Soujirou said, through eyes visibly clouded by pain. "So when you said you were going to meet up with Shishio-san…"   
  
Kamatari glanced up at the sky. "Shishio-sama said that he believed in hell." He laughed. "That's certainly where I'm headed."   
  
"You can't be serious!"   
  
"Eh? Why don't you think so?"   
  
Soujirou shrugged weakly. "You have your life to live!"   
  
"My life which is meaningless to myself if I weren't to be around him." Kamatari laughed. "Meaningful… Chou had come to me, telling me that I had a purpose in life… and it was to tell everyone about Shishio-sama. I told them. I told them. Nobody gave a rat's ass."   
  
"But… you shouldn't give up, you know…"   
  
"Sou. I shouldn't give up…" Kamatari looked at him seriously. "Do you know why I joined the Juppon Gatana, Soujirou? Did you know that I didn't give a rat's ass either, about the government?"   
  
Soujirou shook his head quietly.   
  
"I only cared about Shishio-sama. And though I still care about him, about what he wants… my life will never be meaningful to me, because I only know one purpose…"   
  
"Kamatari-san, you never know! You might find someone else…"   
  
Kamatari shook his head. "Some things you don't know, you feel."   
  
"Kedo… there's so much more from life that you can get! So many things you'll miss! The sunsets, the-the trees, the other people-"   
  
"But there is only one thing that I love," Kamatari said. "Try to understand, Soujirou. That is your life, this is mine. I have nothing left here in this world, nothing left to live for. All I needed was a sign to come along. And you did."   
  
"I'm not a sign! Do I have big letters on my forehead telling yourself to commit suicide?!"   
  
"Tell me Soujirou, why you came up to this cliff."   
  
Soujirou hung his head in shame. "I… I was thinking of jumping off."   
  
"Are you still going to?"   
  
He wondered, how his plans had changed so quickly. "I guess not."   
  
"Do you believe in fate?"   
  
"Etto… I don't know…"   
  
"Fate, it isn't the whole thing. It only takes you up to a certain point, and at that point, you will have to be the one to finish everything up. Destiny doesn't decide anything for you. It'll be your choices, your actions. We make our own fate, Soujirou."   
  
Soujirou was, to say the least, surprised at the wisdom shining through Kamatari's eyes. He had nothing in response. "Kamatari-san."   
  
"It was fate that brought you here. You, the boy who was always with Shishio-sama. And now, it's my turn to always be with Shishio-sama." Kamatari, with closed eyes, smiled, and caught the wind with his face.   
  
With nothing left to convince Kamatari not to jump, he said in despair, "But what about Yumi-san? He loves Yumi-san."   
  
"Kamawanai!" Kamatari yelled suddenly. "I love Shishio-sama! I want to be with him, even if he doesn't love me!"   
  
"But why?! Wouldn't that just bring you more pain?"   
  
Kamatari's head bowed down, eyes still shut. "This is my love for Shishio-sama. Even if he loves another, all I want to do is be there to love him."   
  
Soujirou shook his head repeatedly. "But why?!"   
  
"He has the biggest part of me."   
  
Soujirou looked up at Kamatari, clueless and confused.   
  
Kamatari turned away from Soujirou. "The biggest part of me..." he repeated, softly this time.   
  
"Kamatari, dame."   
  
"I've chosen my path. I've chosen my fate."   
  
"Dame."   
  
"I just need a favor from you."   
  
"…Nani?"   
  
Kamatari took a step closer to the edge of the cliff. "Don't follow me. Don't follow me. Choose your path well. Think of everything in that path you choose." He took another step.   
  
"Dame."   
  
"Remember always what I told you. To make the best of what fate has given you." Another step.   
  
"Dame!"   
  
"Do what will make you happy."   
  
"Yamero!! You know I won't let you jump, Kamatari!"   
  
Kamatari turned, now facing Soujirou. "Yeah. I know."   
  
Soujirou breathed a sigh of relief. "Kamatari…"   
  
"Sayonara, Soujirou." He smiled.   
  
"Yamero!"   
  
Kamatari let himself fall, as if he were plopping down to bed.   
  
Soujirou heard his fading words, the words that drifted with him as he fell…   
  
"Nanka… shiawase…" (2)   
  
Soujirou ran to the edge of the cliff. "_Kamatari!_"   
  
[Misao]   
  
"She doesn't want to eat, Okina-sama," Okon said, almost apologetically.   
  
"That girl…" Omasu sighed. "It's been so long."   
  
"Well, we can't ask her to forget him overnight, y'know," Shiro said, although his weary voice wasn't very soothing.   
  
"Overnight? It's been two weeks!" Okon replied.   
  
Okina stood abruptly and left the room.   
  
"Doushita?" Kuro called after him, but to no avail.   
  
They pondered in silence, worried about their okashira, their Misao-chan.   
  
Okina returned shortly, holding Misao - or a lump of flesh resembling Misao.   
  
"Ohaiyo, Misao…" Shiro said softly.   
  
The look on Misao's face screamed "proceed with caution".   
  
"Daijoubu desu?" Omasu queried in concern.   
  
"It's been two weeks…" Misao replied.   
  
"And?"   
  
"And I feel like shit."   
  
Shiro placed a plate filled with rice cakes in front of her. "That's because you didn't eat lunch nor dinner yesterday."   
  
"No, it's not, and you know it."   
  
Exasperated, Okon glared fiercely at her. "Will you get over it?! He's coming back, okay?"   
  
Not unexpectedly, that gave no comfort to Misao.   
  
"Misao-chan!…"   
  
Misao sighed, rubbing her sleep-deprived eyes. "Look, I'm sorry for worrying everyone. But I can't help it! Every time I try to sleep, I get insomnia. I get these images in my head… of … of that endearing smile on that angelic face…"   
  
It was not quite what they imagined her to say.   
  
"Misao…" Okina said, bold to speak the unthinkable. "You are developing feelings for Soujirou-kun, aren't you?"   
  
Misao, realizing what she had said aloud, blushed slightly. "Sure, I care for him-"   
  
"You know very well what I mean, Misao!" Okina interrupted her. His patience was running short. "Do you care for him… like you do for Aoshi?"   
  
Misao gasped. "Of course not! What I feel for Aoshi-sama is different!"   
  
"Maybe… But how different?"   
  
[Soujirou]   
  
Three weeks after Kamatari's death, Soujirou finally left the cliff. He had been staying there, thinking…   
  
He was thinking about what Kamatari said.   
  
"Why didn't I follow him? My life is useless. Yes, he told me not to follow him, but he also told me that the paths to take in my life are my own choices. I could've gone, and let go of my life as well.   
  
"Do I value my life that much?"   
  
"…Kamatari said that he had nothing left to live for in this world.   
  
"Is that where we differ?   
  
"Do I have something I cannot leave behind?   
  
"…The strong shall live and the weak shall…   
  
"…be protected. Oh yeah.   
  
"The only thing that can atone for what I've done… is for me to live. To live my life for other people."   
  
Soujirou had glanced up to the sky, his peripheral vision catching a bird in flight.   
  
"Shishio-san. Himura-san told me that the weak don't have to die. They can just be protected.   
  
"I thought nobody protected me.   
  
"Kamatari-san, you told me that my fate requires my decisions.   
  
"Shishio-san, I think I understand. You protected me. But I wasn't making my own decisions.   
  
"What happened to me, what my family did to me… It wasn't fair. But the things I've done were just like that. I've done things I can't undo, or make up for. That is why, I will be strong. And I will protect, and not kill.   
  
"Shishio-san…that is my decision."   
  
With that, he had left the cliff and walked towards the town. His hunger was unfailingly there. But something more just welcomed itself to Soujirou.   
  
…Soujirou was smiling again.   
  
He passed by a restaurant and simply decided to go inside.   
  
Suddenly, he heard cracking sounds from the top of the restaurant. He glanced up.   
  
The sky was literally falling.   
  
*KRrASsshhHKKKK!* Soujirou saw the roof fall, right before he felt a sudden weight on him. He saw a flash of blue, of slippers, of a long flowing braid…   
  
Soujirou looked at the girl who landed on him.   
  
"Sou-chan!"   
  
Strange, how a single word made him spontaneously laugh and cry at the same time.   
  
Misao hopped lithely off his arms and hugged him tightly.   
  
Until someone tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, you, do you mind _paying for the roof you just broke_?!"   
  
Misao waited outside after giving the man some money, and letting Soujirou, ever the smooth-talker, calm him down. As soon as Soujirou left the poor, destructed pile of rubble of a restaurant, he had to dodge five brand new kunai. He retrieved them all, in an attempt to return them to a pissed-looking Misao. "Well, I'm happy you're using my gifts." Misao glared him down. "Ano… well, if ever we need to earn money again, we can now certify that you're a professional roof-breaker."   
  
Not even a smile.   
  
"Just kidding."   
  
She narrowed her eyes at him.   
  
"Eh, Misao-chan, glaring nastily and doing the whole no expressions bit is Aoshi-san's job. You're more of a happy, or maybe even scream-at-me kind of person," Soujirou reminded her.   
  
Finally, Misao approached him and grabbed his collar. "Did you know, you haven't even said SORRY to me?!"   
  
"Ano… gomen ne."   
  
Misao let go. "Did you know how worried we all were?!"   
  
"Gomen…"   
  
"Did you know how long it took me to find you?!"   
  
"Gom-you were looking for me? But how did you find me?"   
  
She hit his head, exasperated. "I'm Oniwabanshuu, baka, do the math!"   
  
"Oh… Gomen."   
  
"You've been gone for a month, Sou-chan. And you look pathetic."   
  
Soujirou laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. Not knowing why he laughed.   
  
"From now on, Sou-chan, I'm traveling with you, You're too poor to travel alone."   
  
Suddenly he stopped laughing. "You can't…" he said meekly.   
  
"Oh? I've been tracking you down to have you say you won't let me go with you?!" Misao looked at him dangerously.   
  
Although feeling threatened under the heat of the new patented Misao Glare, he nodded. "I have to do this alone. I'm really, really sorry."   
  
But she wasn't even listening. "Hey. You really do look pathetic, I wasn't kidding. Ano… I know the price of the kunai you bought me. And, well, it wasn't THAT much. So, how come you're completely broke?"   
  
Soujirou blushed. "I, erm… bought something else. I gave it to Okina-san."   
  
Misao eyed him suspiciously. "You said you didn't give anyone else anything."   
  
"I didn't," replied Soujirou, as the grass suddenly appeared to be interesting. "It was for you, too."   
  
"Really?! What what what?"   
  
He stared at the ground, at his shoes, anywhere but her eyes. "I… can't tell you."   
  
"Come on, onegai!"   
  
After a wave of hesitation, he gave in. "I bought you a kimono."   
  
A vein popped into Misao's head. "Would it be mine, or Jiya's interests at heart?"   
  
"It was… it was for you. On your wedding, with Aoshi-san."   
  
Misao's look softened. "Wedding?"   
  
"I know he hasn't asked you yet, or hadn't-"   
  
"Iie. Iie, he never asked…" she said softly.   
  
Still stubbornly staring at the ground, he mumbled, "I just wanted you to remember me when, or, if ever that day would come, and I wasn't there."   
  
"I searched for you all over Kyoto. Do you still think I'd have forgotten you?"   
  
Reddening, he laughed. "I … guess not." He grinned. "I missed you so much." Realizing what he just said, he felt his cheeks heat up even more.   
  
"So why won't you let me be with you on your journey?" she asked, her eyes almost pleading.   
  
"I told you… I-"   
  
"I'll give you space! I swear!" Misao stomped her feet on the ground stubbornly. "It doesn't matter if you leave me, anyway, I'll always catch up to you! I'm never giving up!"   
  
Soujirou thought it would be easier to find an answer to his questions, compared to finding an answer to what Misao just told him.   
  
Holding her shoulders, he said suddenly, "You'll only be more sad, Misao… Think about… Aoshi…"   
  
"I have." Soujirou raised his eyebrows dubiously. "Sou-chan… thanks for the kimono and everything, but… But I don't think I'm marrying Aoshi-sama."   
  
Soujirou felt a chill run up his spine. "Why? Why? What did he do?!"   
  
"He didn't do anything," she said, surprised at his show of… protectiveness, if that's what you call it. She sighed. "He didn't do anything. It was me."   
  
"It can't be you! You're too good-"   
  
"I'm not sure if he even knows it," Misao continued. "I didn't know it, I just realized it…"   
  
Soujirou looked at her, concern radiating from his eyes.   
  
Misao blushed fiercely, with the same fierceness etched into her facial expression. "Don't you get it?! I'm willing to leave Aoshi-sama, to join you in your journey." It was Soujirou's turn to blush. "Wow, I can't believe I've found someone even _more_ dense than-"   
  
"I… I care for you… a lot… Misao-chan."   
  
Misao looked up at him carefully. Waiting to hear more.   
  
His eyes were shining, moist. Those eyes met hers. "I… I left Aoiya so quickly because… because you and Aoshi-san were happy, together. And I knew I would never be truly happy… because I… I… You don't need me. You have him, you love him…"   
  
"No… That's not it at all…" Misao whispered. "Aoshi-sama… was my dream. My fairytale. And I got the happy ending I wished my whole life for," Misao murmured. "But… it wasn't so happy. I mean, I was thrilled. But when you left, it was like… none of it, none of it was worth anything. I didn't want to believe it at first, because that would mean that I wasted most of my life pining for a man I didn't love. But I finally understood. It was what I had to go through, to realize that the one that I, that I need…   
  
"…is you…"   
  
Soujirou felt tears on his neck as he held Misao.   
  
He felt… he felt complete.   
  
"Will you still… allow me to stay with you in Kyoto?" he whispered.   
  
Misao looked up at him. "Stay? But, your journey…?"   
  
Soujirou smiled. "Believe it or not, I've found some answers."   
  
"So. You've finished wandering?"   
  
"A girl told me once that journeys never end," Soujirou whispered. "After all, I still haven't found all answers. But I'm in no hurry. Because I know, they will come to me, some day."   
  
Misao grinned at his optimistic sentiments. "Then, please. Stay with us in Kyoto."   
  
"Misao-chan… I think… I think I've found a few pieces of myself. I found them when I was alone, and when I was with other people. But I think… you're the most important part of my life right now…" Soujirou struggled at first to find the words, but soon, they just flew out of his mouth. "The biggest part of me..." As soon as he said it, he knew why it sounded familiar. He paused for a comfortable fraction in time. "I know what I have to live for now."   
  
Misao smiled through misty eyes. "...I think I do, too."   
  
Soujirou reached for her hand. "Come on, let's go back to the Aoiya."   
  
Misao squeezed his hand. "Let's go back home."   
  
They headed to the Aoiya together. They held each others' hands tightly, not wanting to let go.   
  
Wanting to make the journey beside one another.   
  
Soujirou smiled, the happiest smile possible.   
  
Soujirou's journey just got a new path.   
  
  
  
_One step at a time, one whole then another   
Who knows where this road may go   
Back to who I was, own to find my future   
Still my heart needs to know   
Yes let this be a sign, let this road be mine,   
Let it lead me to my past   
Coruage see me through, heart I'm trusting you   
To bring me home   
At last_ (3)   
  
  
  
**author ramblings**; *confetti* *balloons* *fireworks* *streamers* *noise-makers* *chorus of angels* It's done! And, now, on with the regular programming… *trumpet* *floats* 

Many thanks to all who have reviewed the story and supported it, especially meling-sama, Chaos and Lily with their encouraging e-mails. You all have made this fun to write! ^_^ If I have enough time, I promise to follow this up with a sequel. ^_^   
  
**notes**;   
1 "Fate", L'Arc~en~Ciel   
2 Yup, it's the title of the opening song of flame of recca/rekka no honoo.  
3 Again, it's from "Journey to the Past"; Anastasia 


End file.
